Black Robin – Image: Caleb Teague/Forest & Bird
Rēkohu (Chatham Island) Chatham Islands’ karure (black robin) has won New Zealand’s Forest & Bird’s 2026 Bird of the Year, completing one of the most remarkable comeback stories in global conservation.
The tiny, nationally critical bird topped a record-breaking poll initialized annually by New Zealands leading environmental organisation Forest 7 Bird, in which about 105,000 people voted. Karure finished ahead of kākāpō (night parrot) and kārearea (New Zealand falcon), with more than 25,000 votes, after a campaign led by the Chatham Islands Landscape Restoration Trust.
The victory highlights decades of work by islanders and conservation teams. In 1980, only five karure remained, including a single fertile female known as Old Blue. Today, about 350 adults live on the pest-free nature reserves of Maung’ Rē/Mangere Island and Hokorereoro/Rangatira Island. With suitable habitat on those islands nearing capacity, conservationists are working toward establishing another secure population, with habitat restoration on Pitt Island offering fresh hope.
The result also draws attention to the wider ecological importance of the Chatham Islands, a remote archipelago that supports a significant share of New Zealand’s threatened birdlife.
Black Robin feeding chicks – Image: Enzo M. R. Reyes/Forest & Bird
Make the Chatham Islands part of your New Zealand journey
International travellers and nature lovers should consider the Chatham Islands as a destination in their own right—or as an unforgettable add-on to a mainland New Zealand itinerary. The islands lie about 800 kilometres east of the mainland and are reached by domestic flights from Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch, generally taking about two to two-and-a-quarter hours.
Visitors can experience rugged coastlines, windswept landscapes, rich marine and birdlife, fresh local seafood, and the distinctive Moriori heritage of Rēkohu (Chatham Island), including cultural insights at Kōpinga Marae (Māori communal meeting ground). Pitt Island, about 23 kilometres south-east of Chatham Island, adds further scenery, history and wildlife interest. The restricted nature reserves where karure live are not standard visitor attractions, but the wider archipelago offers an exceptional window into the habitats and conservation work that underpin the species’ recovery.
Because accommodation, transport and access to many sites are limited—and much of the land is privately owned — travellers should book flights, lodging, guided tours and transfers well in advance. For those seeking wildlife, culture and a genuinely remote experience beyond New Zealand’s best-known routes, the Chatham Islands are a compelling addition.
NAN 22-09-26/Forest & Bird; Tourism New Zealand; Chatham Islands Council.
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