'World's loneliest bird' Nigel dies in New Zealand

WELLINGTON - New Zealand wildlife lovers are mourning the death of a gannet named Nigel, dubbed "the loneliest bird in the world "due to the absence of any feathered friends on his island home.

Instead the seabird, also known as "no-mates Nigel", spent years living among a colony of fake concrete birds set up by conservationists in a bid to attract wildlife.

The anti-social avian fell in love with one of the decoys on Mana Island, off the Wellington coast, and was seen preening, nestling and even trying to mate with it.