John Oliver’s campaign pays off in New Zealand’s Bird of the Century contest

John Oliver discovered a loophole in the rules, which allowed anybody with a valid email address to cast a vote (Richard Shotwell/Invision via AP)

Comedian John Oliver has succeeded in his campaign to have what he describes as a weird, puking bird with a colourful mullet win New Zealand’s Bird of the Century contest.

Conservation group Forest And Bird on Wednesday announced that Oliver’s favoured water bird, the puteketeke, had won after the comedian went all-out in a humorous campaign for the bird on his HBO show Last Week Tonight.