A pair of huia being auctioned by Roseberys in London. Photo: Supplied / Roseberys
A pair of taxidermied huia are expected to fetch up to NZ$128,000 when they are auctioned in London in October.
The birds - a male and a female - date to the late 1800s, auctioneer Roseberys said.
"Specimens of these striking songbirds are rarely seen on the market and displays showcasing both a male and female bird are even harder to come by."
Huia were once widespread throughout the North Island, but populations declined swiftly following human settlement and the last confirmed sighting was in 1907.
The birds had a special place in Māori culture, with their highly prized tail feathers often being worn to denote status.
Male huia, pictured, had shorter, straighter beaks than the females. Photo: Supplied / Roseberys
In May, a single huia feather sold for $46,521 at auction in Auckland, breaking the record for the most expensive feather ever sold at auction.
Roseberys described the taxidermied pair as being "eye-catching" examples of huia, with "deep metallic, bluish-black plumage, orange wattles and long white-tipped tail feathers ... in very good condition".
The auction was "a rare opportunity to acquire a fine example of an extinct species", the auctioneers said.
The birds are expected to go for between £40,000 and £60,000 (NZ$85,000-$128,000). Bidding starts at £28,000 (NZ$60,000).
Being auctioned in the same lot are a Louis Vuitton monogrammed canvas wardrobe trunk from the 1920s, and a piece of fruit cake from the 1947 wedding reception of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
