Name: Stone Pīwakawaka
Brand: Cheeky Beaks
Price: 99.00 NZD
Availability: InStock

Handmade at home

Every ceramic bird is handmade in our studio here in New Zealand. Each piece is carefully glazed and carries its own unique character—no two are exactly the same

Collect the flock

Collect them all! These cheeky birds love hanging in a flock - pop them on a windowsill, fence, or deck and watch your own colourful colony come to life.

Doing our bit.

With every bird sold, a portion is donated to conservation groups across New Zealand, helping protect and preserve our feathered friends for generations to come.

Miromiro | Tomtit

Tieke | Saddleback

How do we do it?

We won’t give away all our secrets, but here’s a peek behind the scenes at how our birds come to life.

Stone Fantail · Pīwakawaka Sculpture

Handcrafted | Serpentine Stone, Reclaimed Metal & Wood

New Zealand's most beloved little bird, captured mid-flutter in beautiful stone.

Designed and crafted by Zimbabwean-born, New Zealand sculptor Jack Stobart, along with his team, each Pīwakawaka is shaped from richly patterned serpentine - its mottled earth tones of rust, ochre and olive mirroring the warm, muted colours of the bird itself. The stone's natural variation means no two pieces are ever alike.

The signature fanned tail is hand-carved from wood, burnt to give contrast, each feather individually shaped, giving the piece its unmistakable sense of life and movement. The beak and eye surround are inset resin, and the delicate branching feet are crafted from recycled metal - grounding the piece with fine, naturalistic detail.

Cheeky, characterful and instantly recognisable, the Pīwakawaka is a piece that brings a smile to every room it inhabits.

A genuinely handmade piece with a distinctly New Zealand soul - and a gift that will be kept for a lifetime.

Bird Design

Each bird is carefully hand-sculpted from clay, with a focus on staying true to its real-life counterpart - while adding a subtle, whimsical twist that gives it its own unique personality.

Slip Casting

Once a design is finalised, we create a plaster mould of the bird. After it sets, the original sculpture is removed, leaving a negative impression inside the mould. Liquid clay is then poured in and allowed to dry, forming a replica of the original model.

Fettling

The birds are then removed from their moulds, and we carefully add the finishing details - bottoms, beaks, wattles, eye rings, and all the little features that bring each species to life. Once complete, they are left to dry before being bisque fired in our kiln to 1000°C.

Glazing + Underglazing

Once bisque fired, each bird is carefully coloured using underglaze and glaze, with a focus on staying true to its living counterpart. After glazing, they are returned to the kiln for a final firing at 1250°C, bringing out their richness of colour and durability.