The Forest Owners Association is urging people to vote for the kārearea, or native falcon, for Bird of the Year.

Most pairs of this rare bird live in pine forests where they nest on the ground among newly planted trees and keep an eye out for predators and prey from the vantage point of nearby mature trees.

FOA President Peter Weir says the kārearea is New Zealand’s most spectacular bird.  It can fly at more than 100 kilometres an hour to catch prey.

“It’d be great if it could be recognised as the apex species that it is.”

“I see that Federated Farmers’ Chris Allen is promoting the whio – the Blue Duck – and that’s fine, but the kārearea is on the $20 note and to my mind that trumps the whio on the $10 note,”  Peter Weir says.

FOA is encouraging everyone to vote for the karearea on [www.birdoftheyear.org.nz]www.birdoftheyear.org.nz .  Voting closes on Sunday at 5pm.

Peter Weir 027 454 7873