New Zealand votes tipsy pigeon bird of the year
New Zealand has voted for its bird of the year 2018 and it's one known for being "drunk, clumsy and a bit of a clown", organizers say.
The kereru has a liking for fermented fruits, which contain alcohol. And that means the birds can get quite tipsy at times, displaying clumsy antics and falling off trees. This year's campaign saw celebrity endorsements from actor Stephen Fry and comedian Bill Bailey, while one species even had a Tinder profile. The kereru is one of the few native birds in New Zealand that is not endangered.
"They have quite a reputation of being large and clumsy and being a bit of a clown," Megan Hubscher of Forest & Bird, the conservationist group that runs the annual vote, told the BBC. The bird loves fruit and depending on the season, these fruits might be fermented.
