- Conservation status
- In serious trouble
Our endemic duck that doesn’t quack. These sleek swimmers need clear, fast-flowing rivers, so you’re unlikely to see them on your local pond – but you might spot them on your $10 note! Stoats and shrinking habitat are major threats to whio. With fewer than 3,000 left, it’s up to us to help them out.
Campaign Manager
Ava Thomas
This bird is in your back pocket, but often overlooked – the whio is the unsung hero of the New Zealand $10 note. This blue-grey river surfer is rarer than a winning Lotto ticket and the toughest of the tough only thriving in our wildest, fastest-flowing streams. As New Zealand’s only true torrent duck, the whio is a living legend – and a national taonga – deserving more than a spot in your wallet. From stoat-trapping heroes to whio-sniffing dogs, it’s a community effort to keep these river racers protected! However these birds are still under threat so let’s give this iconic underdog the spotlight it deserves. Vote whio for Bird of the Year 2025 and help keep our rivers singing with their signature whistle!
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