Former RNZ broadcaster Robert Taylor, who started bird call tradition, dies aged 82

Robert Taylor, a longtime broadcaster at Radio New Zealand, has passed away at age 82. Taylor is credited with initiating a beloved radio tradition when he introduced the first morning bird call segment on the National programme in 1974, a feature that became a cherished part of the station's daily programming. His innovation helped establish a distinctive element of New Zealand's broadcasting landscape that resonated with audiences for decades.

Taylor's creation of the bird call segment became an iconic part of RNZ's identity and demonstrates how individual creative decisions in broadcasting can leave lasting cultural legacies.