You’re not just installing — you’re making art. The trickiest bit? Picking the perfect spot.Look for somewhere your bird can stand proud — silhouetted against the sky or a pale backdrop. That’s where the magic lives. Once you’ve found your perch, the
Metalbirds are laser-cut from premium 3mm Corten® steel — the good stuff. It’s a copper-chromium alloy that’s designed to weather beautifully. The patina it develops (looks a bit like rust, but isn’t) acts like nature’s own seal — protecting the stee
Thanks for reaching out about the 'rusting' on your Metalbird — the good news is, it’s not rust. It’s doing exactly what it’s meant to. Our birds are made from Corten® steel, a premium material that weathers with purpose. What might look like rust at
Great question!. Our Metalbirds are made from Corten® Steel — it’s built to weather beautifully and do its thing without needing a paint job. That natural patina is part of the charm. You can paint them if you're set on it, but unless the prep’s spot
Right where they land. We make Metalbirds locally in each country we operate — that means your bird is crafted close to home, not shipped halfway across the world. So, in New Zealand? Forged right here in Penrose, Auckland. We partner with small, fam
That’d be Phil.Metalbird was started (and still led) by Phil Walters, a Kiwi industrial designer with a soft spot for birds and a background in making things that actually last. Phil’s been sketching, cutting, testing, and refining every silhouette s
We get asked this a lot — and we totally get it. At the moment, we don’t offer one-off custom designs. Every Metalbird goes through a full design, testing, and production process — it’s not just a quick sketch and a cut. We put a lot of care into eac
Not likely — unless your local birds are seriously dramatic. In fact, we’ve had customers tell us the opposite: real birds often perch, preen, and even nest right next to their Metalbird. We've seen tūī, fantails, even the odd cheeky magpie giving ou
You can take it with you — but here’s the drill. Your Metalbird is made from solid 3mm Corten® steel, so it’s got a bit of heft and a pointy bit on the end. For that reason, we strongly recommend packing it in your checked luggage, not your carry-on.
If you’re installing into a healthy, mature tree and you’re only driving in one small spike — it’s like a tiny pinprick. We’ve spoken with arborists over the years (and a few green-thumbed customers too) to make sure we’re not doing any harm. What we
Bigger than you might think — and built to be seen. Most of our Metalbirds stand around 30–35cm tall (about 12–14 inches), depending on the design. Some stretch wider, especially birds in flight or long-tailed species. Each bird also has a ‘branch’ o
At Metalbird, we believe every bird deserves its moment in the sun — even the slightly scruffy ones. Our Seconds are birds that didn’t quite meet our usual standards for perfection. Maybe there’s a tiny scratch, a nick, a dent, or a bit of steel that
We’re big fans of birds — obviously. But it’s not just about turning them into beautiful silhouettes. At Metalbird, we also want to protect the real ones. That’s why we’ve partnered with Forest & Bird, New Zealand’s leading conservation organisation