Metalbird
Metal Birds - Piwakawaka Fantail
Metalbird is the brainchild of Phil Walters, an industrial designer and lover of street art and New Zealand’s native flora and fauna.
His handcrafted artworks bring together his passions: the tough, 3mm Corten® steel and stencil design, a nod to his urban art roots. The birds are inspired by the mysterious, satirical street artist Banksy – the stencils look as if street art has turned 3D.
Metalbird started as a guerrilla street art project. All over New Zealand’s North Island, more than 40 life-sized, Metalbird stencils appeared. In parks, in fences and on power poles – anywhere you’d least expect. And people loved them!
Hammered into trees, fences or posts, the birds will rust, their natural patina blending into the landscape.
These make perfect presents, especially for distant loved ones - simply send them through regular post in their own beautiful flat gift boxes.
"You’ve got to be on your toes when you’re an insectivore. That’s why when you’re walking in the bush or turning over the soil in the garden, Pīwakawaka is there, with a cheery ‘cheet cheet’, constantly flitting to catch the tiny bugs you’re serving on a plate. Its pretty fanned tail gives them amazing acrobatic abilities, like changing direction on the spot and flipping upside down nab a bug under a leaf."
The Pīwakawaka is:
✓ 27cm high by 24cm wide approximately 300g
✓ Easy to send - the box is a standard A4 size
✓ Made locally in a family-owned factory, right here in NZ
✓ Crafted from 3mm Corten steel and designed to last a lifetime
✓ Easy to install holding on a downwards angle simply tap the thickest end of the stake with a hammer or mallet until secure
Each Piwakawaka Fantail bird and spike fits neatly into an A4 sized flat cardboard box, complete with info card and instructions.
This product is made in New Zealand