Bird of the Year
Australian bird of the year is back! The Guardian/BirdLife Australia poll for 2021 will begin on 27 September with a list of 50 shortlisted species. So we thought we'd run our own poll in the lead up, using 100 of the most popular bird artworks on Bluethumb, to find the #BluethumbBirdOfTheYear. Simply hit the heart button next to your favourite in this curation. The winner (announced Friday next week) with the most favourites will not only get all the glory, but also be shared across our social media.
In the 2017 official poll the magpie fought off strong support for the white ibis to win. In 2019 the highly endangered black-throated finch, which is under threat from the expansion of the Adani Carmichael coalmine, triumphed after backing from a highly organised online campaign.
This year there will be a special focus in the shortlist on the birds many of us are likely to see in lockdown in our backyards and while out for exercise, as well as a few endangered species specially selected by BirdLife Australia to draw attention to their plight.
DISCLAIMER: Not all the birds in this curation are Australian, but all are painted by an Australian artist.