The Week contest: Bird fraud
This week's question: New Zealand's Bird of the Year contest was shaken by allegations of election rigging after judges discovered that 1,500 votes had been cast for Little Spotted Kiwi from a single IP address. Once the suspicious votes were discounted, the fat, flightless Kakapo emerged victorious. In seven words or fewer, please write a headline about this case of avian election fraud.
Click here to see the results of last week's contest: Animal flight
RESULTS:
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
THE WINNER: "Fowl play upends pecking order"
Tom Smith, Rochester, New York
SECOND PLACE: "Contest voter accused of flipping the bird"
Patricia Hoopes, Madison, Wisconsin
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
THIRD PLACE: "Bird no good without stuffing"
Dave Grossman, Petaluma, California
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
"Kiwi's fraudulent fix doesn't fly"
Vicki Jaramillo, Fontana, California
"Election fraud has bird enthusiasts calling fowl"
Jennifer Kitchin, New Smyrna Beach, Florida
"Bird election marred by chickanery"
Ken Kellam III, Dallas
"One flew over the crooked nest"
Jean-Paul Merle, Concord, California
"Fowl play in bird vote"
Laurel Rose, Pittsburgh
"Bird contest is fowl play"
Robyn Kupferman, Culver City, California
"Election-rigging plot hatched, won't fly!"
Norm Carrier, Flat Rock, North Carolina
"This flies in the face of justice!"
Patty Oberhausen, Fort Wayne, Indiana
"Fowl calls foul on paltry poultry votes"
Kevin O'Brien, Walnut Creek, California
"Scheme to king the Kiwi proves fruitless"
Leslie Garner Franklin, Asheville, North Carolina
"Voter fraud is for the birds"
Nancy Rogers, West Roxbury, Massachusetts
"Avian misbehavin'"
Bill Levine, Belmont, Massachusetts
-
Antibiotic resistance: the hidden danger on Ukraine’s frontlinesUnder The Radar Threat is spreading beyond war zones to the ‘doorstep’ of western Europe
-
‘Capitalism: A Global History’ by Sven Beckert and ‘American Canto’ by Olivia NuzziFeature A consummate history of capitalism and a memoir from the journalist who fell in love with RFK Jr.
-
Who will the new limits on student loans affect?The Explainer The Trump administration is imposing new limits for federal student loans starting on July 1, 2026
-
How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users