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A feather from the long-extinct Huia bird from New Zealand has set a record, going under the hammer for $28,400, CNN reports.

The Huia was last officially sighted in the early 20th century, and its feathers have previously sold for up to NZ$8,400 (about US$5,100), according to Webb Auctions.

A Huia bird feather expected to sell for NZ$3,000 (US$1,830) has surpassed its estimate to become the world's most expensive feather ever sold.

"This rare huia feather is a wonderful example of New Zealand's natural history and reminds us of the fragility of our ecosystem," said Leah Morris, head of decorative arts at the Auckland auction house.

For Maori, bird feathers were a sign of high status, and the distinctive white-tipped plumage was used for ceremonial headdresses. According to the New Zealand Museum, only members of the highest rank were allowed to wear huia feathers in their hair or ears.

As per the auction house, feathers were often traded for other valuable goods, or given as a sign of friendship and respect.

European New Zealanders also began to view the huia as a symbol of prestige. According to the museum, this animal's feathers were used for making fashion accessories, and stuffed huias were placed as decoration in wealthy homes.

The museum explains that Maori and European hunters killed these birds in "large numbers" in the 19th century, selling their feathers to collectors and fashion dealers.

The huia's "deadly popularity" reportedly grew even further when the Duke and Duchess of York were photographed wearing feathered hats during a trip to New Zealand in 1901.

“People just went crazy and decided everyone needed a huia feather,” Morris said. Attempts by scientists in the early 1900s to preserve the remaining huias failed.

The huia feather, which is an object of national importance, can only be purchased by registered collectors and cannot be taken out of New Zealand without permission from the ministry.

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