#ardeidae

Black Heron aka Black Egret (Egretta ardesiaca), family Ardeidae, order Pelicaniformes, South Africa

The all white form of a great blue heron (Ardea herodias ssp. occidentalis) hunting for fish in Bahia Honda National Park, Florida, USA

Green Heron Butorides virescens

BIRD OF THE YEAR JUST OPENED FOR VOTING! (yes you can vote even if you're not in New Zealand)

This rather silly annual 'competition' is also one of the best ways for the public to learn about sometimes birds and support conservation!

The matuku-hūrepo/Australasian bittern gets Very Little Attention compared to charismatic species like the kākāpō and yellow-eyed penguin, which have both won twice! However, they absolutely deserve a podium spot:

There's estimated less than 700 left in NZ, and not much work is being done for them. Probably fewer than 2000 total across the world. And their numbers are still declining! 90% of bittern habitat in NZ is already destroyed. Plus, wetlands are one of the most endangered ecosystems in the country, so protecting the bittern also means protecting myriad other cool species that live in the marshes!

First image © Duncan Henderson, other three © Imogen Warren

If you have a couple minutes free, go vote now >:D You can vote even if you're outside NZ! And you get to choose up to 5 birds too!

NZ does great in conservation, but there's always a few species that need some extra help! Here's other endangered birds needing more attention that would greatly appreciate your vote:

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). Family Ardeidae, order Pelecaniformes.

Sitting in the water and hunting.

Reddish Egrets dark & white morphs (Egretta rufescens) November, Texas gulf coast USA