A single feather from the now-extinct New Zealand huia bird broke a world record at auction, fetching NZD$46,521.50 ($28,417, £22,409).
The feather, which was expected to sell up to $3,000, outsold the previous record for a feather of the same species by 450%, according to Webb’s Auction House.
The huia bird was considered sacred by the Māori. Their feathers were frequently worn as headpieces by chiefs and their families, and were also gifted or traded.
According to the Museum of New Zealand, its final confirmed sighting occurred in 1907, but unsubstantiated sightings continued for another twenty to thirty years.
The huia was a tiny songbird from the wattlebird family in New Zealand and was notable for its abilities.
