This video is made with the support of NZ on Air Public Interest Journalism Fund. 

15 years go, Phil Walters wanted to do something with his kids that could spark a few smiles in their neighbourhood.

His distinctive bird silhouettes took on a life on their own -a street art project that "began in a tiny garden shed" soon spreading across Aotearoa and the globe to become Metalbird, a creative outlet that turns heads around the world.

"The whole business started from one bird, stuck in one tree in Auckland," smiles Walters incredulously.

From there, Walters has been able to turn a passion for creating and a desire to support bird conservation into a company he can be proud of, working lean with sustainable principles - with deliberate efforts to keep its carbon footprint tiny.

"It's been an absolute delight to build a business that reflects your own values set.

"We're working with about 5 different groups around the world that are similar to Forest and Bird (NZ)."

It's been a partnership forged over the popular Bird of the Year awards - in particular last year's Bird of the Century competition that got international attention, including on John Oliver's popular American late night show Last Week Tonight.  Walters's work was front and centre, and played a huge part in the unprecedented voting numbers.

But with popularity comes set backs.  They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery, but Walters understandably hasn't felt that flattered by the copycats who have soaked up so much of his time with legal feeds and court cases. 

"As a designer that fiercely doesn't plagiarise other people, I was gutted when other people ripped us off. With the grown of the internet and the growth of the business, it's happening more and more."

But nothing beats the original - with Walters proving a small creative idea done right can have a lasting impact.