Hoiho wins New Zealand’s Bird of the Year

September 19, 2024

Share to Google Classroom

The Hoiho has won New Zealand’s Bird of the Year contest.

The yellow-eyed penguin, also called the hoiho, earned 6,328 votes, beating other native birds like the karure and kākāpō. Over 52,000 people voted in the annual event, which aims to raise awareness of New Zealand’s native creatures. This is the second time the hoiho has won the contest.

The hoiho, one of the rarest penguin species, is only found in New Zealand and is known for its loud call and yellow eyes. Sadly, it’s also endangered, with its population dropping by 78% in the last 15 years. Experts say disease, fishing nets, and lack of food are major threats to the penguins.

Nicola Toki, head of Forest & Bird, hopes this win will shine a light on the bird’s struggle for survival.

Article written by Milli Banbury

This article was written using AI as an assistive tool for research and writing.

Learning Options

Recall Questions

Thinking questions

Digital Thinking

Learning Options

Recall Questions

Thinking questions

Digital Thinking

Did You Know?

Find out more: Hoiho wins New Zealand’s Bird of the Year

Vocabulary

Click on the words in the article. See if you can find them all.

Thinking Question

Premium

2

Kiwi Kids Quiz – 5th June 2026

June 5, 2026

1

El Niño may bring hotter weather: What is it?

June 3, 2026

1

Christchurch could get an Ice Skating Rink

June 3, 2026

1

Solar Power is coming to Stewart Island

June 3, 2026

1

Proposed law could use AI

June 2, 2026

1

Snow-making machine allows Coronet Peak to open

June 2, 2026

Popular this week

Premium

2

Kiwi Kids Quiz – 5th June 2026

June 5, 2026

Premium

2

Classic Kiwi Culture

June 2, 2026

Premium

2

Kiwi Kids Quiz – 29th May 2026

May 29, 2026

Premium

2

Women who changed Aotearoa

May 20, 2026

Premium

2

Sports movements that changed New Zealand

May 26, 2026

1

What is AI?

November 30, 2025

img:is([sizes=auto i],[sizes^="auto," i]){contain-intrinsic-size:3000px 1500px}img.wp-smiley,img.emoji{display:inline !important;border:none !important;box-shadow:none !important;height:1em !important;width:1em !important;margin:0 .07em !important;vertical-align:-.1em !important;background:none !important;padding:0 !important}:root{--wp-internal-comment:"Placeholder for wp_hoist_late_printed_styles() to replace with the block styles printed at wp_footer."}:root{--wp-internal-comment:"Placeholder for wp_hoist_late_printed_styles() to replace with the global-styles printed at wp_footer."}@media screen{.printfriendly{z-index:1000;display:flex;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px}.printfriendly a,.printfriendly a:link,.printfriendly a:visited,.printfriendly a:hover,.printfriendly a:active{font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;text-decoration:none;border:none;-webkit-box-shadow:none;-moz-box-shadow:none;box-shadow:none;outline:none;font-size:14px !important;color:#3aaa11 !important}.printfriendly.pf-alignleft{justify-content:start}.printfriendly.pf-alignright{justify-content:end}.printfriendly.pf-aligncenter{justify-content:center}}.pf-button-img{border:none;-webkit-box-shadow:none;-moz-box-shadow:none;box-shadow:none;padding:0;margin:0;display:inline;vertical-align:middle}img.pf-button-img+.pf-button-text{margin-left:6px}@media print{.printfriendly{display:none}}.pf-button.pf-button-excerpt{display:none}.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+4):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload),.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+4):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *{background-image:none !important}@media screen and (max-height: 1024px){.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+3):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload),.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+3):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *{background-image:none !important}.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+3):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload).nitro-lazy,.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+3):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *.nitro-lazy{background-image:none !important}}@media screen and (max-height: 640px){.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+2):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload),.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+2):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *{background-image:none !important}.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+2):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload).nitro-lazy,.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+2):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *.nitro-lazy{background-image:none !important}}.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+4):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload).nitro-lazy,.e-con.e-parent:nth-of-type(n+4):not(.e-lazyloaded):not(.e-no-lazyload) *.nitro-lazy{background-image:none !important}#content>.page-header>h1{display:none}.kkn-quiz-wiz{background:#fff8df;border-radius:22px;padding:24px;box-shadow:0 5px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.15);margin:24px 0;font-weight:400}.kkn-quiz-wiz__header{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;gap:16px;margin-bottom:18px;background:url("https://cdn-gbklbph.nitrocdn.com/foBcxgZeTWYnWelyirzqLnZgsuWiSGxH/assets/images/optimized/rev-128ab4c/www.kiwikidsnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/bg-yellow4.jpg");background-size:auto;background-size:cover;margin:-25px -25px 25px;padding:25px;border-radius:10px 10px 0 0}.kkn-quiz-wiz__eyebrow{display:inline-block;background:#ffd447;border:1px solid #ccc;border-radius:999px;padding:4px 12px;font-weight:800;font-size:13px;margin-bottom:8px}.kkn-quiz-wiz h3{margin:0;font-size:28px;line-height:1.1;text-shadow:2px 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,.5);text-transform:initial;color:var(--e-global-color-27a2e4e4)}.kkn-quiz-wiz__robot{font-size:42px}.kkn-quiz-wiz__filters{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr 1fr auto;gap:12px;margin-bottom:18px}.kkn-quiz-wiz select,.kkn-qw-start{border-radius:10px;padding:12px;font-weight:400;background:#fff}.kkn-qw-start,.kkn-quiz-wiz__submit{background:no-repeat url("https://cdn-gbklbph.nitrocdn.com/foBcxgZeTWYnWelyirzqLnZgsuWiSGxH/assets/images/optimized/rev-128ab4c/www.kiwikidsnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/bg-green.png");cursor:pointer;box-shadow:3px 3px 0 #242424;background-size:cover;color:#fff !important;border:none !important}.kkn-qw-start.nitro-lazy,.kkn-quiz-wiz__submit.nitro-lazy{background:none !important}.kkn-qw-start:hover,.kkn-quiz-wiz__submit:hover{background-image:url("https://cdn-gbklbph.nitrocdn.com/foBcxgZeTWYnWelyirzqLnZgsuWiSGxH/assets/images/optimized/rev-128ab4c/www.kiwikidsnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/bg-pink.png")}.kkn-qw-start:hover.nitro-lazy,.kkn-quiz-wiz__submit:hover.nitro-lazy{background-image:none !important}.kkn-quiz-wiz__question{background:#fff;box-shadow:0 5px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.15);border-radius:10px;padding:18px;margin-bottom:16px}.kkn-quiz-wiz__number{font-weight:400;color:#5271ff;font-size:13px;margin-bottom:6px;text-transform:uppercase}.kkn-quiz-wiz h4{margin:0 0 14px;font-size:20px;line-height:1.25;text-transform:initial;font-weight:400}.kkn-quiz-wiz__options{display:grid;gap:10px}.kkn-quiz-wiz__option{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;cursor:pointer;background:#f4f8ff;border-radius:10px;padding:12px 14px;font-weight:400}.kkn-quiz-wiz__option:hover{border-color:#5271ff;background:#eef4ff}.kkn-quiz-wiz__submit{width:100%;border:3px solid #242424;border-radius:10px;color:#242424;font-size:28px;font-weight:600;padding:14px 18px}.kkn-qw-score{background-image:url("https://cdn-gbklbph.nitrocdn.com/foBcxgZeTWYnWelyirzqLnZgsuWiSGxH/assets/images/optimized/rev-128ab4c/www.kiwikidsnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/bg-green.png");color:#fff;border-radius:10px;padding:15px;margin-bottom:16px;text-align:center;box-shadow:0 5px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.15);background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:cover}.kkn-qw-score.nitro-lazy{background-image:none !important}.kkn-qw-score strong{display:block;font-size:34px;line-height:1;margin-bottom:6px}.kkn-qw-result{background:#fff;border-radius:10px;padding:16px;margin-bottom:12px}.kkn-qw-result.correct{background:#ecffef}.kkn-qw-result.wrong{background:#fff0f0}.kkn-qw-badge{display:inline-block;border-radius:999px;padding:4px 10px;font-weight:900;font-size:13px;margin-bottom:8px}.kkn-qw-badge.correct{background:#6bd66b}.kkn-qw-badge.wrong{background:#ff7979}.kkn-qw-explanation{background:rgba(255,255,255,.65);border-left:4px solid #ffd447;padding:10px 12px;margin-top:10px;border-radius:10px}@media (max-width:700px){.kkn-quiz-wiz__filters{grid-template-columns:1fr}}.kkn-qw-passage{background:#fffdf5;border-left:5px solid #ffd447;border-radius:10px;padding:16px 18px;margin-bottom:18px;line-height:1.65;font-size:17px}.kkn-qw-passage p{margin:0 0 12px}.kkn-qw-passage p:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.kkn-qw-passage strong{font-weight:800}.kkn-quiz-wiz__header h3 span{position:absolute;right:25px;font-size:50%;text-shadow:none;color:#333;letter-spacing:.5px;margin-top:10px}body{background-image:url("https://cdn-gbklbph.nitrocdn.com/foBcxgZeTWYnWelyirzqLnZgsuWiSGxH/assets/images/optimized/rev-128ab4c/www.kiwikidsnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/space-bg-wave.jpg");background-size:contain;background-position:center top;background-repeat:no-repeat}body.nitro-lazy{background-image:none !important}.jet-listing-dynamic-post-197673 .elementor-element.elementor-element-ad4127e:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background),.jet-listing-dynamic-post-197673 .elementor-element.elementor-element-ad4127e>.elementor-motion-effects-container>.elementor-motion-effects-layer{background-image:url("https://cdn-gbklbph.nitrocdn.com/foBcxgZeTWYnWelyirzqLnZgsuWiSGxH/assets/images/optimized/rev-128ab4c/www.kiwikidsnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-55784323.jpg")}.jet-listing-dynamic-post-197673 .elementor-element.elementor-element-ad4127e:not(.elementor-motion-effects-element-type-background).nitro-lazy,.jet-listing-dynamic-post-197673 .elementor-element.elementor-element-ad4127e>.elementor-motion-effects-container>.elementor-motion-effects-layer.nitro-lazy{background-image:none !important}.KKNanimate .jet-listing-grid__items>.jet-listing-grid__item{opacity:0;will-change:transform,opacity}.KKNanimate .jet-listing-grid__items>.jet-listing-grid__item.in-view-ready,.elementor-editor-active .KKNanimate .jet-listing-grid__items>.jet-listing-grid__item{opacity:1}section.Maori:before{content:"English Translation";background-color:#ffb849;color:#fff;padding:2px 5px;border-radius:0 0 5px 5px;font-size:10px;position:absolute;right:0;top:0;display:block;z-index:10}section.Maori{border-top:1px solid #ffb849}.kkn-story-rating-widget{background:#fff;border-radius:20px;font-family:"Fredoka",Sans-serif;box-shadow:0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.08);margin:24px 0 0;width:100%;padding:15px}.kkn-story-rating-title{font-size:1.3rem;margin-bottom:14px}.kkn-story-rating-buttons{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:12px}.kkn-story-rating-button{border:0;border-radius:18px;padding:12px 16px;font-size:1rem;cursor:pointer;background:#eef6ff}.kkn-story-rating-button:hover{transform:translateY(-1px)}.kkn-story-rating-widget.is-submitting .kkn-story-rating-button{opacity:.65;pointer-events:none}.kkn-story-rating-results-title{font-size:1.1rem;margin-bottom:14px}.kkn-story-rating-row{margin-bottom:14px}.kkn-story-rating-label{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;gap:16px;margin-bottom:6px}.kkn-story-rating-bar{height:16px;background:#edf2f7;border-radius:999px;overflow:hidden}.kkn-story-rating-bar-fill{height:100%;border-radius:999px;background:linear-gradient(90deg,#6ecbff 0%,#7ee081 100%);min-width:6px}.kkn-story-rating-count{font-size:.9rem;margin-top:6px;opacity:.8}.kkn-story-rating-total{margin-top:12px}.kkn-story-rating-message{background:#eef6ff;color:#1e3a5f;padding:10px 14px;border-radius:12px;margin-bottom:14px;font-size:14px;font-weight:600}