---
title: " Podium position!  The Antipodean Albatross comes second in New Zealand’s BOTY2020"
---

#  Podium position!  The Antipodean Albatross comes second in New Zealand’s BOTY2020

![Antipodean Albatross colour banded Kath Walker](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/A/Antipodean/Antipodean_Albatross_colour_banded_Kath_Walker.jpg)

 *A colour-banded Antipodean Albatross displays on Antipodes Island, photograph by Kath Walker*

 The[Endangered](http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/antipodean-albatross-diomedea-antipodensis) Antipodean Albatross or Toroa*Diomedea antipodensis*has made the second step of the podium in this year’s Bird of the Year competition (‘[BOTY2020](https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz)’).  Initially leading during the two-week voting period (with a record 55 000 votes received overall), following a spirited world-wide campaign it was pipped at the post once the [preferential voting system](https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/voting/) was applied by the Kākāpō *Strigops habroptila*, New Zealand’s iconic flightless parrot ([click here](https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/)).  The [Critically Endangered](http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/22685245) (but recovering) “moss chicken” previously won BOTY in 2008.  No albatross (or any procellariform seabird for that matter) has won the competition since its inception in 2005.

 [T](http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/22685245)he [Albatross for Bird of the Year #VoteToroa](https://www.facebook.com/VoteToroa/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARC2iT79CDDoNZSGW4fpjo1KGMkNxHQbWczquABA69IuFQimLQBGOpa7zLgYq4WGJ_hDlEb_8E3Z30v_&hc_ref=ARQNWZ23OpWMCHMSyR0wDX_idIQ7AmRZ-X4sWeZ8byMA0TX8nrw8RHQyrq7D_wVwJpM&fref=nf&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARA4FeM96v3Cb2GXWAATDQr13-0nY7BAIkDnkRA2rV7SG7hLjMxfxLksmNXhcFO9dXF6Rhb-tcBO2Nj1SkX_iwSdzs1uoHUU925z559C6AnXlaNEKlH-8MGr4-r06vmTArKk5EFRyjNI88e1aZ5gwmioNYaDgvldE3nmM2JrosLi2N1yMCABGSwITJ71P4daERTG3RiQ7IAArYofy5qEcJQJGJ6Y22-IcrCvM16grBNwEDgCW08OGoBVXXBE6BqrVuEQjI1lhVep1z8zUC7Y70wgsPOsWEYyD9F3hF1xCsTK0pHG1Scav0Wte-iZtIA97sKazbHG7XK7UuravifVIfrwb2KYdOaup4mKwwxE643qqEld3w_WJQ) Facebook page which lobbied for the Antipodean Albatross remains upbeat despite its bird missing out on a gold medal: “the groundswell of support raised for toroa this year was absolutely incredible – a win would have just been a bonus.  A second place shows that people are becoming more and more aware of the dangers facing seabirds including longline fishing and marine pollution.”

 ![VBote Toroa](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Logos/VBote_Toroa.png)

 *Maybe next year?*

 Maybe next year an albatross can be on the winning step for the first time.  With [“35 000 extra deaths”](https://www.acap.aq/latest-news/3845-35-000-extra-deaths-of-antipodean-albagtrosses-since-2004-estimated-by-new-zealand-researchers?highlight=WyJhbnRpcG9kZWFuIiwzNSwiMzUnbiIsIjM1J2UiLCIwMDAiLCIzNSAwMDAiXQ==)due to fisheries bycatch the Antipodean Albatross continues to need our support.

 [https://www.acap.aq/latest-news/3845-35-000-extra-deaths-of-antipodean-albagtrosses-since-2004-estimated-by-new-zealand-researchers?highlight=WyJhbnRpcG9kZWFuIiwzNSwiMzUnbiIsIjM1J2UiLCIwMDAiLCIzNSAwMDAiXQ==](https://www.acap.aq/latest-news/3845-35-000-extra-deaths-of-antipodean-albagtrosses-since-2004-estimated-by-new-zealand-researchers?highlight=WyJhbnRpcG9kZWFuIiwzNSwiMzUnbiIsIjM1J2UiLCIwMDAiLCIzNSAwMDAiXQ==)*John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 17 November 2020*