Voting has closed for the 2025 Australian bird of the year, with more than 250,000 votes cast. The winner, announced on Thursday 16 October, is the Australian magpie, reclaiming the title it first won in 2017.
The magpie's victory comes as a surprise, as it had failed to make the top 10 finalists when voting ended on Wednesday morning. However, a late surge in votes propelled it to the top spot, overtaking early leaders such as the tawny frogmouth and the gang-gang cockatoo.
The tawny frogmouth, which had led the poll for much of the competition, finished in second place for the fourth consecutive time. The gang-gang cockatoo, backed by prominent figures including Guardian Australia editor Lenore Taylor and independent senator David Pocock, placed third.
Other finalists included the swift parrot, the 2023 champion, and the Baudin's black cockatoo, a newcomer to the poll. The winner was announced via the Guardian's live blog and stream.
