The Metalbird Story From Art Project to Giftware | Metalbird

About Us

FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO A GLOBAL ART PROJECT

Metalbird grew from a New Zealand Street Art Project I started back in 2009.
I created and installed metal bird silhouettes around my neighborhood, just for fun. Amazingly, people felt an instant connection to them, and I was flooded with requests from friends and strangers alike.

It began in a tiny garden shed, and roughly 10 years later Metalbird has become a sprawling global art project. I didn’t see it coming, I’m not sure anyone did, and yet not a day goes by that I’m not profoundly grateful for all of it.

With the simple tap of a hammer, this beautifully crafted, life-like bird silhouette will transform your backyard, garden or environment into a work of art, bringing delight to anyone who encounters it.

Metalbird isn’t just about the birds though. As you’ll see if you scroll down a little further, it’s also about producing locally and ethically, not to mention sustainably. It’s about giving back to the birds that inspire us by supporting bird conservation efforts worldwide.

We love what we do. We do it the best. We hope it shows.

- Phil Walters, Creator of Metalbird

Made Local: Because Global Starts at Home

We could ship our birds halfway around the world to be made on the cheap. Plenty of businesses do. But we’re not plenty of businesses. We’re Metalbird.

And Metalbird is local.

We make and ship locally in every country we operate in. That means if you’re buying from America, your bird was crafted in American. If you’re in Australia, your bird didn’t take a world tour to get to you, it was made just down the road.

Why? Because keeping it local means jobs stay in the community. It means less carbon burned in transport. It means we can visit our makers, shake their hands, and make sure everything’s done right. It costs more, sure. But some things are worth paying for. Like accountability. Like local pride. Like knowing your bird was made by someone who gives a damn.

Made Sustainable: Because Birds Deserve Better

Let’s be honest. Making birds inspired by nature while harming the environment they live in? That’s not us. Sustainability isn’t a buzzword for us, it’s built into everything we do.

Our birds are crafted from Corten® Steel with over 70% recycled content. Designed to weather beautifully over time, they develop a protective patina that helps them last for decades. Every offcut from production is recycled, and every order ships in recycled cardboard printed with biodegradable inks.

We've also partnered with Plastic Collective to help prevent plastic waste from entering the environment, extending our commitment to conservation beyond the birds themselves.

We don’t take shortcuts or cut corners. We work with trusted manufacturing partners who meet high standards, because creating products we're proud of means caring about how they're made as much as the impact they have.

Made for Birds: Because They Were Here First

Made for Birds

Birds are magic. They connect us across continents, cultures, and backyards. They symbolise freedom, hope, remembrance. But here’s the grim truth: their habitats are vanishing. Their songs are going quiet.

We’re a company that exists because of birds. So we owe it to them to protect what we can.

That means supporting:

Forest & Bird (New Zealand): We support their relentless work protecting native species and their habitats, from bush to beach and everything in between.
American Bird Conservancy (USA): These legends are on the frontlines of protecting North America’s birdlife, from migratory songbirds to birds of prey.
BirdLife Australia (Australia): After the devastating bushfires, we backed their recovery efforts, and we continue to support their vital conservation programs.
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) (UK): For over a century, they’ve been champions for birds across the UK. We're proud to play our small part in helping them keep skies full.
Birds Canada (Canada): These folks are leaders in research, conservation, and education, working to ensure a future for birds from coast to coast.
Vogelbescherming Nederland (Netherlands): We’ve partnered with them on eye-catching public art installations to raise awareness, and draw attention to vulnerable species and their habitats.
BirdLife International (Global): Together, we’re helping five critically endangered bird species fight their way back from the brink. Because birds need allies everywhere.

We donate time. We donate profits. We get our hands dirty. Because we believe you can make beautiful things and make a difference.

Why We’re The Original Metalbird

We added “The Original” to our name not to flex, but to clarify.

Yes, we were the first. And yeah, we think we’re still the best. But "The
Original" is about something deeper.

It means:

Manufacturing locally, not wherever’s cheapest.
Choosing family-owned factories over faceless conglomerates.
Giving back to the birds that inspire us.
Building a global art project with local roots.

Metalbird isn’t just what we make. It’s how we make it, why we make it, and
who we make it for. And that’s what makes us The Original.