Australia has the most diverse birdlife on the planet. But one in six are now threatened, and this year nine more have been listed as even closer to extinction. Since 2017, Guardian Australia has run bird of the year – a biennial competition to find the country’s favourite avian species, have a bit of fun, and to draw attention to their desperate fight for survival. Gabrielle Jackson speaks to editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor and national news editor Patrick Keneally about why voting for your favourite bird can help protect native species.