ASTANA — Based on the voting results of members of the environmental community, the blackbird was officially named Bird of the Year 2026 in Kazakhstan, gathering 65% of all votes. The purpose of the community is to draw society’s attention to issues related to the conservation of birds and their habitats, reported Inbusiness.kz.
Photo credit: picturebirdai.com
Kazakhstan Association for Biodiversity Conservation chooses the Bird of the Year to highlight the challenges and opportunities in protecting avifauna.
The blackbird is a well-known bird that lives in forests, parks and urban green areas. A distinctive feature of this species is that it is the only sedentary thrush in Kazakhstan. Unlike its relatives, the blackbird does not migrate in winter and remains near people year-round, making it a visible part of city nature.
“The blackbird cannot be considered a rare species. It is not listed in the Red Book and faces no immediate serious threats. However, as a species that has become synanthropic in the southeastern part of the country in recent decades, it is vulnerable to the same risks faced by urban birds – the reduction of green spaces, the destruction of invertebrates (its food sources) through various chemicals and environmental pollution,” the association said.
Officials from the association also added that this year, the blackbird can serve as an excellent opportunity to draw attention to urban birdlife and to conduct bird counts in populated areas.
The Bird of the Year campaign has been running in Kazakhstan since 2006. Over the years, different species have been chosen as symbols reflecting current environmental issues. In 2025, the Bird of the Year was the Egyptian vulture, and in 2024, the scops owl.
