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Our Native Birds Need You

$14,146 donated

Given by 343 generous donors in 22 days

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Will you make a donation to protect New Zealand’s native birds?

Nationwide

Each year, thousands of people vote for which bird deserves to be crowned Bird of the Year.

But what many people don’t realise is that our native birds are in crisis. Many are at serious risk of going extinct.

Sixty-eight per cent of our birds are in trouble and 1 in 3 are at risk of becoming extinct. They face a range of threats. Their habitats are being destroyed and introduced mammalian predators such as stoats, possums, and rats kill their eggs, young, birds, and even adults.

There’s also the threat of climate change, which has the potential to limit their habitat range, increase pest numbers and, in some cases, reduce their ability to forage for food.

This is a critical time in New Zealand’s history. Nature is in crisis. Our wildlife, our wild places, and our native birds need you.

Nature’s future is in your hands.

Forest & Bird's involvement (page creator)

Forest & Bird is New Zealand’s leading independent conservation organisation protecting and restoring our wildlife and wild places.

Forest & Bird was founded by inspirational people determined to save and protect New Zealand’s incredible environment. Nature is our greatest treasure and we have campaigned and carried out practical action to protect it for nearly a century.

From rolling up our sleeves and planting trees, to campaigning for greater predator control, going to court to protect freshwater and native forests - we defend nature at every level. With more than 80,000 supporters, we are at the forefront of conservation in New Zealand and one of the country’s most loved conservation charities.

About us

Forest & Bird protects and restores the wildlife and wild places you love. From rolling up our sleeves and planting trees, to campaigning for greater predator control, going to court to protect freshwater and native forests - we help YOU defend nature.

Use of funds

Forest & Bird members do so much work to protect and restore our local wildlife and wild places through predator control, plantings, ecosystem restoration, advocacy - the list goes on.

We have successfully saved thousands of hectares of native forest and protected areas on land and in the sea.

This is only possible with the support from thousands of people across New Zealand like you.

Latest update

And the winner is... 25 October 2017

The kea has been crowned New Zealand’s Bird of the Year after two weeks of heated campaigning.

These large, green mountain parrots are known for their curiosity and intelligence. Once numbering in the hundreds of thousands, they are now classified as Nationally Endangered with just 3,000 - 7,000 birds remaining.

Like many of New Zealand's native birds, kea are vulnerable to predation by introduced mammalian predators. When frequenting populated areas they are also known to get hit by cars or stuck in man-made objects. Lead poisoning is also causing problems for some populations of kea, as they lick and chew the lead nails and flashings on older houses and huts. They can also get sick from human food, which is sometimes fed to them by people. Kea could also be impacted by climate change as warming temperatures may limit their habitat range in New Zealand’s alpine environments.

Thank you for donating to help us protect New Zealand's native birds. Like the kea, many are endangered and your support means Forest & Bird can continue to protect and restore New Zealand's wildlife and wild places.

From all of us here at Forest & Bird - thank you.

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