New Zealand airport takes down hobbit themed eagle sculpture after 11 years aloft

A pair of giant eagle sculptures inspired by "The Hobbit" will be removed from the ceiling of Wellington Airport on Friday, marking the end of a more than decade-long watch over visitors.

The massive birds, which depict the creatures from JRR Tolkien's fantasy novels, were created by Wētā Workshop and installed in 2013 to coincide with the release of "The Hobbit" film trilogy by New Zealand director Sir Peter Jackson.

Each eagle weighs 1.2 tonnes and has a wingspan of 15 metres. One features a sculpture of the wizard Gandalf riding on its back.

The impressive creations are made from polystyrene with internal steel skeletons and hundreds of feathers, the longest measuring 2.4 metres.

“It’s not unusual to see airborne departures from Wellington Airport, but in this case, it will be emotional for us,” said Matt Clarke, the airport’s chief executive, in a statement.

The sculptures are being removed to make space for a new, undisclosed installation, which the airport says will be “locally themed” and developed in collaboration with Wētā Workshop.

The eagles will be placed in storage. There are currently no long-term plans for their return.

While the departure of the eagles may disappoint fans, the airport will continue to feature another familiar character from the fantasy world – Smaug the Magnificent.

The dragon from "The Hobbit", remains on display near the check-in area.

One of the eagles previously made headlines in 2014 when it fell during an earthquake. No injuries were reported.

Details of the new exhibit are expected to be revealed later this year.