Vote Bittern for NZ Bird of the Year 2026
Voting Opens 04 Sept
Why the Matuku Needs Your Support
The Australasian Bittern (Matuku hūrepo) is one of Aotearoa New Zealand's rarest wetland birds. Once widespread, it is now fighting for survival as more than 90% of New Zealand's wetlands have been destroyed, leaving the Matuku with fewer places to breed, feed, and thrive. Combined with the threat of introduced predators, its future hangs in the balance.
A Bird of the Year vote is more than just a vote, it's a chance to raise awareness and champion the protection of New Zealand's precious wetlands. Together, we can help keep the Matuku's haunting boom alive for generations to come. Follow the fun of the Bird of the Year Campaign on Instagram at matukuforboty26.
How to Vote
Voting is easy:
- 1. Go to the Bird of the Year voting page
- Vote here
- 2. Choose Matuku hūrepo (Australasian Bittern)
- Click on the bittern and select “Click here to vote for me”.
- 3. You can vote for up to 5 native birds
- Choose up to five birds. There is no ranking – every bird you select receives 1 point.
- 4. Submit your vote
- Once you’ve made your selection, click Submit and enter your name and email address.
- 5. VERIFY YOUR VOTE
- Check your email and click “Validate my vote.”
- Don’t see the email?
- Check your Junk or Spam folder.
That’s it – your vote counts!
Key Dates:
- Voting opens: Friday 4 September 2026 at 9am
- Voting closes: Sunday 20 September 2026 at 5pm
- Winner announced: Monday 21 September 2026
Share your vote with friends and family. Every vote helps raise awareness for wetland conservation!
Art Competition – Design a Home for Matuku
Get creative and help tell the story of New Zealand's rarest wetland bird
Our Design a Home for Matuku Art Competition invites students to use their creativity to celebrate one of Aotearoa's rarest birds. Whether it's imagining the perfect wetland habitat or creating a home where Matuku can thrive, every artwork helps raise awareness about the importance of protecting our precious wetlands. It's a fun way for young artists to learn about conservation while supporting the campaign to help Matuku become Bird of the Year.
Students can enter by choosing one of the following:
- 🎨Draw or make a model of a Bittern
- 🦸Create a Wetland Superhero
- 📝Write a Bittern Poem
- 😂Create a Bittern Meme
- 📢Design a Conservation Poster
Categories:
- Years 1–4: ages 5-8 years old
- Years 5–8: ages 9–12 year olds
- Years 9–13: ages 13–18 year olds
Every category winner will receive prizes including:
Thanks to Tumbleweed and Matuku Link for prize contributions
- 🏆Bittern T-shirts and FBT Merch
- 🍫Chocolate treats
- 🎁Gift vouchers
You need to know:
- Entries Open: 24 August
- Entries Close: 17th Sepetember
- Enter Here: email a photo or digital copy of your entry to Helen@theforestbridgetrust.org.nz
Artwork will be displayed on The Forest Bridge Trust Website and Social media platforms.
Meet Matuku
MĀORI: Matuku, Matuku-hūrepoENGLISH: Australasian Bittern
Fast Facts
- Māori name:Matuku hūrepo
- Scientific name:Botaurus poiciloptilus
- Status:Nationally Critical
- Habitat:Freshwater wetlands, marshes and reed beds
- Height:Up to 75 cm
- Diet:Fish, Eels, Frogs, Insects, Freshwater Crayfish
- Famous for its deep booming call that can carry for kilometres
- Did you know?:When threatened, a Bittern freezes with its beak pointed skyward, perfectly blending into surrounding reeds. It's one of New Zealand's greatest masters of camouflage
Hear Helen Tell the Story of Matuku
Matuku is NZ's last remaining bittern species. It's a large heron-like bird native to New Zealand, Australia, and New Caledonia (where it is now believed to be extinct). They live in shallow and densely vegetated wetlands. Matuku is very secretive, they hide among raupō and reed vegetation where they can blend in perfectly with their surroundings. They hunt fish (including eels), mice, spiders, insects, molluscs, worms, freshwater crayfish, frogs and lizards such as skinks. Bittern males "boom" in the evenings or on dull days and these calls increase during breeding season (Sep-Feb) to attract females and guard their territory.
Listen to Helen to learn why this incredible bird deserves your vote.
Forest Bridge Trust Wetland Conservation
Protecting the places Matuku calls home
The Australasian Bittern (Matuku hūrepo) depends on healthy wetlands for feeding, breeding and shelter. By supporting community conservation the Forest Bridge Trust is working with landowners on habitat restoration and predator control to restore and protect the wetlands and landscapes that support this incredible species.
Creating safer wetlands for Matuku
The South Head Project is helping build a predator-managed landscape across one of the Kaipara’s most important wetland areas. Working alongside landowners, mana whenua, community groups and conservation partners, the project is restoring habitat and reducing threats to native wildlife.
Key conservation actions include:
- 🌿 Predator control
- Establishing a network of traps to reduce rats, stoats, ferrets, feral cats and other introduced predators that threaten native birds.
- 💧 Wetland protection and restoration
- Supporting landowners to protect, enhance and reconnect wetland habitats.
- 🐦 Species monitoring
- Using acoustic monitoring, cameras and community observations to track threatened species, including Matuku hūrepo.
- 🤝 Community-led conservation
- Connecting people with the land through local action, education and collaboration.
Together, we are creating a safer future for Matuku and the many species that share its wetland home – to volunteer on The South Head Project email:
Heather@theforestbridgetrust.org.nz
Become a Matuku Champion
Get creative and help tell the story of New Zealand's rarest wetland bird
Become part of the movement to celebrate, protect and restore one of Aotearoa’s most mysterious wetland guardians.
- Vote – Make your voice count in Bird of the Year
- Share – Help spread the word about Matuku
- Encourage friends – Get others involved in the movement
- Protect wetlands – Support healthy habitats where Matuku can thrive
- Support conservation – Help protect Aotearoa’s threatened species
Join the Matuku Movement
There are many ways to discover, celebrate and support Aotearoa’s elusive wetland guardian.
🐦 Join us for the Bittern Workshop on 13 Sep (Sun)
Come along and learn more about the Australasian Bittern (Matuku hūrepo), why this incredible bird needs our help, and how you can get involved in protecting its future. Visit our acebook page for more details.
🔎 Take part in the Great Matuku Hūrepo Muster (Sep - Nov)
Join Wendy Ambury from Love Bittern for this nationwide citizen science project. Help search for Matuku, record sightings, and contribute valuable information to help us better understand and protect this mysterious wetland bird.
Find out more and take part: The Great Matuku Hūrepo Muster
Matuku hūrepo.
Invented hide-and-seek.
Never lost.
Now it’s disappearing for real.