Feather sells for record-breaking £22,000 at auction

Feathers come all sorts of shapes, sizes and colours - but how much are they worth?

Well, it turns out quite a bit of money in some cases!

A feather belonging to a now extinct bird has just sold for a world record breaking amount at an auction in New Zealand, with a winning bid of NZD $46,521.50 - that's £22,409.

Leah Morris who is from Webb's Auction House where it sold, said it was "in wonderful condition".

The feather broke the previous world record of NZD $8,400 (around £4,000 today), selling for around four and a half times the price.

It came from the huia bird which was last seen in 1907.

The birds were sacred to the Māori people who are indigenous to New Zealand.

Their feathers were often worn as headpieces by chiefs and their families, or sometimes they were given as gifts.

These small songbirds were known for their jumping abilities and feathers, which had a white tip.

The auction house said the feather was free from insect damage and was framed behind a protective glass to give it a "really long life".

It is registered under a system which protects Māori made objects - this means it cannot leave New Zealand without special permission.

The feathers had been a mark of status for Māori people in the past.

The Museum of New Zealand said that when Europeans arrived in the country the species became a target for collectors and people wanting them for fashion, which led to the bird becoming extinct.