WHICH BIRD RAISED THE MOST FOR CONSERVATION IN 2022?

It's my favourite time of year again - time to announce which bird raised the most for conservation. I always do this as part of doing my taxes, as a reward for getting the job done. Today I donated over $5000 for the birds, on your behalf! We made donations to Zealandia, Forest & Bird, Kākāpō Recovery, Hihi Recovery, Capital Kiwi, BirdLife Australia, NZ Rare Breeds Society, and World Parrot Trust. Thank you so much for sharing my vision and helping support wildlife.
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So which bird raised the most funds? Counting down to number 1, the top five are:

Coming in at number  5 - His Resplendence (tūī)

His Resplendence (tūī) - raising funds for Forest & Bird

From limited-edition fine art prints, to TinyArts, to personalized postage stamps, this boy sold out completely. He's now only available occasionally as a TinyArt piece or (in the future) gift ephemera. 

Number 4 was only a squeak ahead - The Chase (Pīwakawaka)

The Chase (pīwakawaka) - raising funds for Zealandia

These adorable fantails have raced up the charts, ever since their predecessor, The Secret, sold out. At the time of writing, the large limited-edition prints of "The Chase (pīwakawaka)" have completely sold out, but small and medium prints are still available. These cuties are especially popular as TinyArt pieces too.

At Number 3 - Sweet Dreams are made of this...

Sweet Dreams (ruru) - supporting Forest & Bird

This adorable morepork has swooped up the charts to number three, and is the number one piece supporting Forest & Bird. Sweet Dreams looks amazing big or small and suits so many different types of framing. From rustic to gold, plain to fancy, she's just gorgeous! At the time of writing, she's still available as a limited-edition print in all sizes, but will soon start running out, especially the large prints. Like the others, she's also popular as a TinyArt piece, and I can't make enough of them.

Number 2 - a new release that stormed the charts - a hidden world (Kākāpō) 

A Hidden World (kākāpō) - supporting (of course) Kākāpō Recovery

These irresistible moss chickens were a late entry in 2021 but made a huge splash, quickly ousting other contenders from the top 5 spot. Based on photos of Sinbad and Hoki by Andrew Digby from Kākāpō Recovery, I set them in a magical cove that had people guessing where in Aotearoa it was (it's a cove in the Bay of Many Coves in the Marlborough Sounds). Hubby Linton came up with the name "A Hidden World (kākāpō)" after his experiences tracking kākāpō on remote Anchor Island. More recently, plans are forming to reintroduce kākāpō to the mainland, so perhaps their world won't be quite so hidden and more of us will be able to experience these incredible parrots in the wild. Because this is such a new print, there are still limited-edition prints available in all sizes. And unlike my other prints, there are two variations - square and rectangular - and people have strong preferences for one or the other. Which do you prefer?

Before I announce number 1, an Honourable mention goes to "Her Mystery (tūī)

"Her Mystery (tūī)" - supporting Zealandia

If it wasn't for those charismatic kākāpō latecomers, "Her Mystery (tūī)" would be in the top 5. You've probably noticed that I love a gothic stormy backdrop, and the tūī colours suit that scene perfectly. She was created as a companion piece to our number one bird...

Who is Number 1?
​of course it's a Tūī! His Magnificence!

"His Magnificence (tūī) - supporting Zealandia

For the fourth year in a row, a tūī comes in at number 1! And this fella is number 1 by far, with over twice the number of prints sold and raising 50% more than the next on the list. He is "His magnificence (tūī)." In 2021, he appeared on huge digital billboards throughout New Zealand thanks to the online shopping portal Chooice as well as being included on their banner for months. He's also featured much smaller - as a personalized postage stamp (now sold out) - and at every size in between. Paired with "Her Mystery (tūī)", they make a stunning couple. 
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Many of you will have met this particular tūī - he's the stroppy fella that defends the Tūī Terrace sugar water feeder at Zealandia.

Limited edition prints of His magnificence (tūī) are still available in all sizes, so maybe we'll continue to see his run in next year's top bird announcement! 

"His" and "Hers" as extra-large fine-art metal prints - simply stunning!

Thank you for all your support - every little bit you do makes a huge difference in raising the profile of our gorgeous native birds. From liking and commenting on social media posts, to telling a friend about your favourite bird artwork, to supporting wildlife through your art purchases, it's appreciated!

If you'd like to know which artworks support which conservation organizations, just take a look at the back of a print or TinyArt. It's also indicated on the description for each piece in my online gallery.

Do let me know in the comments which bird/artwork is your favourite, and who you'd like to see on the list in 2023!

Aroha nui

Judi

P.S. If you're curious as to who came out on top in previous years, check out:

• 2020-21 which bird raised the most
• 2019-20 can you guess which bird raised the most
• 2018-19 which bird raised the most funds
• 2017-18 which artwork raised the most funds for conservation