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Edgar Stead (1881-1949) documented avian diversity on the islands around Stewart I during the 1930s and 1940s, and named 3 new passerine subspecies in 1936. Between 1912 and 1950, 6 other newly-recognised bird taxa were given the epithet ‘steadi’. Four of these were indisputably named after Edgar Stead: Stictocarbo steadi Oliver, 1930, Pseudoprion turtur steadi Mathews, 1932, Thalassarche cauta steadi Falla, 1933, and Petroica (Miro) australis steadi Fleming, 1950. Carbo carbo steadi Mathews & Iredale, 1913 was probably named after Edgar Stead. It is suggested that Procellaria aequinoctialis steadi Mathews, 1912 was most likely named after the Australian naturalist David Stead (1877-1957). Among the birds named by or for Edgar Stead, only Thalassarche cauta steadi Falla, 1933, Xenicus longipes variabilis Stead, 1936, and Bowdleria punctata wilsoni Stead, 1936 are recognised as valid taxa in the 2010 Checklist of the birds of New Zealand. Stictocarbo steadi Oliver, 1930 is permanently invalid. A list of type specimens collected by Stead is presented, representing 6 currently recognised taxa.