World's most expensive bird feather auctioned for R500k

Clarence Ford speaks to Barbara Friedman about trending and interesting online topics. 

[Skip to 5:00 for this one]

A rare and highly prized feather called the 'Huia' from the extinct New Zealand huia bird has sold for NZD$46,521 (R500k), making it by far the world’s most expensive feather ever sold on auction.

The huia was the largest of New Zealand’s wattlebird species, known for its beautiful song, its predominantly black glossy feathers and long tail feathers tipped with white.

The last confirmed sighting of a huia was in 1907, though it is believed they were still alive into the 1920s.

The huia is significant in the Māori culture as its feathers were reserved for chiefs and people with prestige.

The feather reportedly weighs roughly nine grams, making it vastly more valuable than gold – $5,169 per gram compared with $127 per gram of gold, according to reports from the latest Gold Broker figures.

The rare bird is said to have arrived before Europeans and became targeted by collectors and fashion merchants which led to its extinction.

"This particular feather has been auctioned off and achieved the result that it is the most expensive feather in the world. I don't think you would think of a feather getting this much money. It's a sad story in the end because those birds are no longer with us - you never know what its value is going to be until it goes to auction."

- Barbara Friedman, Barb's Wire 

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.