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title: "BOTY2026-NZ: Seven days of voting down, nine to go, the Northern Royal Albatross is coming eighth"
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# BOTY2026-NZ: Seven days of voting down, nine to go, the Northern Royal Albatross is coming eighth

![BOTY2026 9](https://www.acap.aq/images/BOTY2026_9.jpg)*The current state of play for BOTYT2026-NZ*

 With only nine days left for voting, the ACAP-listed and [Endangered](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/northern-royal-albatross-diomedea-sanfordi) Northern Royal Albatross *Diomedea sanfordi* is now eighth on the leader board for New Zealand’s annual Bird of the Year competition ([BOTY2026-NZ](https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/)).  Respectable, maybe, as the highest-scoring procellariform seabird out of 70-odd candidates.  But still a long way off the podium!

 You can vote for the Northern Royal Albatross, and for its two fellow ACAP-listed species, the [Vulnerable](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/black-petrel-procellaria-parkinsoni) Black Petrel *Procellaria parkinsoni* and the [Endangered](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/westland-petrel-procellaria-westlandica) Westland Petrel *P. westlandica*, among the package of five candidates required to be chosen [here](https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/).  Voting closes on 20 September, with the winner to be announced the next day.

 *John Cooper, Emeritus Information Officer, Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, 11 September 2026*