Penguin or wren - which will New Zealand choose? Photo: File
It's down to the wire for the Bird of the Year competition.
Voting for the annual contest closed at 5pm and the winner will be announced on Morning Report tomorrow.
Ellen Rykers from Forest and Bird said at the last count on Wednesday, the pīwauwau or rock wren was in the top spot closely followed by the kororā or little penguin.
She said it is a tight race.
The kororā or little penguin. Photo: Supplied / Julie Chandelier
"The kororā actually had more number one votes, but once we applied the transferrable vote system, the pīwauwau snatched the lead, so it seems to be a sort of two-bird race at that top end at the moment."
The rock wren or pīwauwau. Photo: Kerry Weston / DOC
More than 31,000 verified votes have been cast so far.