They say the darkest hour is just before dawn, but in the suburb of Birkenhead on Auckland's North Shore, it can be anytime from 3am.
That's when a rogue rooster starts crowing, and he's dividing the community.
Raquel Minh recently moved to the area. She told Seven Sharp that her landlord warned about a noisy, busy road and the nearby daycare centre.
"But he did not mention the rooster at 3am," she laughed. "Every night. Every night [the rooster crows]."
Minh is a yoga instructor and it takes all her zen to remain calm.
"I've found some moments of gratitude for this rooster; he reminds me that we're not that far from nature. It's a lovely daily reminder at three in the morning."
The troublesome fowl is somewhat of a neighbourhood celebrity, going viral on the Birkenhead and Northcote community Facebook page.
Some neighbours thought they were hearing things until a flyer appeared on bus stops in the area. The author, preferring to remain anonymous, did a quirky sketch and wrote an appeal.
"Is this your rooster? This comb-headed, cock-a-doodle-douchebag has been waking my mum and dad up at 3am."
He's often heard and not seen, so it was lucky Seven Sharp caught him in all his glory in a tree after a dawn stakeout.
According to a resident, the rooster once had the companionship of other feathered friends.
"He had girlfriends as well; I think he had five of them [chickens]. They just went... I don't know where," they said.
When local tattooist Bex spotted the poster about the rooster, she said she had to get involved. For a short period, she offered anyone who wanted one a free tattoo of the iconic rooster.
"He's going to be forever immortalised on someone's skin," she said.
"I'm pretty active on the Birkenhead Community page. It's so funny and such a fun way to give back to the community."
Around a hundred people had put their hands up to get the free tattoo.
Who knows what's next in line for rooster merchandise — tea towels? Cups? Hoodies?
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