A “weird puking bird” won New Zealand’s annual avian beauty contest on November 15, with the help of British comedian John Oliver.
Oliver used his popular television show to urge viewers to support this bird species, which is commonly known by its Maori name “puteketeke”. Oliver called it the “weird puking bird”.
This bird eats its feathers to help it throw up parasites, said Nicola Toki, a competition organiser and conservationist.
“[Puteketeke] was catapulted to the top spot thanks to its unique looks ... and propensity for puking,” Toki said. The bird’s population in New Zealand has dropped below 1,000.
Contest organisers counted over 350,000 votes from around the world. “We know birds inspire incredible passion, but we encourage people to channel that passion into productive efforts rather than trying to rig an election,” Toki said.
