A single feather of the now extinct New Zealand huia bird has set a world record after being sold for the equivalent of $28,417 at an auction.
Webb’s Auction House said the sale broke the previous record − for a feather of the same species − by 450%.
The feather was initially expected to fetch up to $3,000.
According to the BBC, the huia was a small songbird of the wattlebird family in New Zealand and was known for its jumping abilities and beautiful plumage.
It was sacred to the Māori people, and its feathers were often worn as headpieces by chiefs and their families. They were also gifted or traded.
The last confirmed sighting of the bird was in 1907, but unconfirmed sightings were reported for twenty to thirty years after that, according to the Museum of New Zealand.
[Image: An illustration of a pair of huia, published in 1888]