NATURE Tanzania in association with Birdlife International and Partner Fur Und Natur have shortlisted four avian species endemic to the country’s grasslands ecosystem for the ‘Tanzania Bird of Year 2026’ citation.

Gaudensia Mariki, the Nature Tanzania marketing officer, said at launching of the voting exercise here yesterday that the voting exercise is ongoing across the nation, with the species candidates listed as the common red-necked spurfowl, ostrich, kori bustard and southern ground hornbill.

Video images of the four passerines are battling it out to replace the superb starling named as ‘Tanzania bird of the year 2025,’ whose reign is set to end in December when the new title holder is announced, she said.

The voting exercise, coordinated locally and in the Diaspora as well as tourists and bird lovers around the world will see groups of enthusiasts voting at selected institutions or chat groups online, she stated.

Already pupils at Manyara Ranch primary school as well as Tumaini high school and Edward Lowassa secondary schools had started to vote, she said, noting that the NGOs conducted a community campaign at the Makuyuni marketplace for the purpose.

Various residents were introduced to the voting exercise being among initiatives to make people value birds and protect the environment, she said, while Edwin Kamugisha, the program officer, explained that the voting exercise starting September 7 will take four weeks.

This will be followed by a rigorous exercise of counting more than 10,000 votes cast online and physically, he specified, hinting that grasslands are now wastelands in the theme for bird of the year 2026.

Kori bustard, one among the contending species, is seen as a heavyweight ambassador for the continent's grassland, playing a vital role in the ecosystem, from controlling insect populations to dispersing seeds, he stated.

The majestic common ostrich is a symbol of Tanzania’s savanna, with long strides and powerful presence shaping the grasslands it roams, as a vital herbivore and insect-eater. “This giant helps maintain a healthy ecosystem but its existence is threatened by illegal hunting and habitat loss,” he asserted.

There is also the red-throated spurfowl which brings life to Tanzania’s grasslands and farmlands by dispersing seeds and controlling insects, helping to maintain balance in nature — but similarly threatened with habitat loss and overhunting, he elaborated.

The southern ground hornbill, another listed bird wonder featuring deep, booming calls echoing across the landscape, is a ground-dwelling giant and a vital part of its grassland ecosystem. As a slow-breeding bird it is particularly vulnerable to threats like habitat loss, the bird activist noted.

The superb starling, outgoing bird of the year 2025, has vibrant plumage and strong social bonds, a familiar yet overlooked bird and a reminder that even common species face growing threats, he stated.

Emmanuel Mgimwa, the NGO’s director, said that the ‘Bird of the Year’ campaigns started in 2023 when the secretary bird was picked as the maiden winner, as part of efforts to encourage enthusiasts all over the country to protect amazing everyday nature before it’s too late.