Winning name

Introducing Āwheo, the winning name for this year's Royal Cam chick.

Name meanings and inspirations

We worked with Te Poāri a Pukekura, the co-management trust at the headland, to select the winning name and prize winners.

Below you can see the winning name and runner up, their meaning and what inspired each entrant to submit them.

Āwheo (winning name)

Meaning 'halo' – a ring of light around the moon or sun. Naming the chick Āwheo suits habitat restoration because it speaks of protection and renewal: light returning after storms, like ecosystems recovering when we remove plastic, restore nests and coastlines, and change habits.

For royal albatross, that 'halo' is healthy sea and land – clean feeding grounds and safe breeding sites. Whakataukī: "Toitū te marae a Tāne, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te iwi" (when land and sea endure, people endure). Āwheo reminds us to be kaitiaki for their home, now and for generations. It calls us to restore taiao, together.

Tai (runner-up)

Well, he's from Taiaroa Head in Ōtepoti, but "Taiaroa" is a bit of a mouthful for his teacher and all his mates to say, so "Tai" it is. Plus, "Tai" has heaps of good meanings in Te Reo: sea, coastline, tide, and friend! All of which relate to where he's from (plateau on top of a big cliff by the seaside), and who's taking care of him: his natural friends, the people of Aotearoa. And isn't he our friend too? Let's go Tai!

The winners

Congratulations to our winner: Hira Adlam you will receive first prize.

Congratulation to our second-place winner: Xan Wetherall you will receive second prize.

Congratulations to our spot-prize winners:

• Spot prize winner 1: Babara Bremner your name suggestion Kelp has won a bag of albatross jelly heart lollies and an albatross wooden magnet
• Spot prize winner 2: Ella Riddle your name suggestion Rawiri has won a black albatross t-shirt
• Spot prize winner 3: Kylie your name suggestion Zephyr has won an albatross tote bag
• Spot prize winner 4: Nick your name suggestion Swoop has won a Taiaroa Head print
• Spot prize winner 5: Jason Kennington your name suggestion Manawaroa has won two albatross baseball caps

We will contact all winners and arrange delivery of prizes. Keep an eye for an email from us.

Competition theme

This year's competition theme is habitat restoration.

Royal albatross rely on healthy habitats at sea and on land. But these habitats are under pressure from climate change, pollution, especially plastic waste and human activities.

This year's theme invites you to reflect on the places albatross call home and the role we all play in protecting them. Your chosen name could draw on ideas of renewal, resilience, guardianship, or the natural world.

By taking part, you're helping raise awareness of the importance of restoring and caring for these habitats so future generations of albatross can thrive.

How entrants made submissions

Name suggestions had to be submitted through our website.

Prize packages

First prize:

• • A comprehensive 'Ornithology: Comprehensive Bird Biology' course donated by Cornell University - worth over $240 USD
  • A sage tumbleweed adult albatross t-shirt
  • An albatross tote bag
  • Two albatross soft toys
  • A toroa-green print
  • A Louise Thompson-Parker print
  • A Louise Thompson-Parker ceramic albatross mug
  • And more

Second prize:

• • A 'The Hidden World of Nests and Eggs' course donated by Cornell University – worth over $60 USD
  • A beige albatross t-shirt
  • An albatross tote bag
  • An image vault print
  • And more

Spot prizes:

• • A bag of albatross jelly heart lollies and an albatross wooden magnet
  • Black albatross t-shirt
  • Albatross tote bag
  • Albatross baseball cap x2
  • Taiaroa Head print

The spot prizes were randomly selected from all the name submissions that met the submission requirements.

Thanks to the Royal Albatross Centre and Cornell University for supporting the competition with a selection of prizes.