The Huia name

Claire and Mike chose the Huia name and bird as they felt it resonated clearly with themselves. It firmly associated with them with New Zealand and with the land that they are so proud to work.

The Huia was a legendary New Zealand bird. The Huia mated for life and the pair co-existed as a team in the dense canopy of the forests. It was always rare bird even before the arrival of Europeans, confined to the mountain ranges in the south east of the North Island. 

It is unique, as it is the only bird in the world where the bills of the male and female are different in shape and size. This unique feature along with the bird's beautiful plumage made it highly prized by international collectors and the Maori, where wearing feathers is an honour.

The bird became extinct in 1907, however there are unconfirmed reports of the birdsong in the isolated bush upto 30 years ago.