Sept. 29 (UPI) -- New Zealand conservation group Forest & Bird announced this year's Bird of the Year winner, the kārearea New Zealand falcon.
Forest & Bird, which annually holds a vote to find the top bird in New Zealand, said the kārearea rose to an early lead in voting for the 20th annual contest, and ended up taking the title with 21% of the 75,439 votes cast online.
The kārearea, New Zealand's only native species of falcon, previously won the competition in 2012, and is now one of only three species to have won Bird of the Year more than once.
The conservation group said the kārearea will be honored by songwriter Troy Kingi in the first installment of the Waiata Manu project, which will see future Bird of the Year winners receive their own original songs.
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