Haast's eagle

Haast's eagle was an extinct giant eagle endemic to New Zealand. It preyed on moa and was the largest known eagle by mass.

Moa: Moa were large, flightless birds endemic to New Zealand, all species of which are extinct. These flightless birds were the eagle’s principal prey.
Hieraaetus moorei: Hieraaetus moorei is the scientific name commonly used for Haast’s eagle. This name appears in taxonomic literature and reflects its changing classification.
Moa-hunter fossil site: The Moa-hunter site is a South Island archaeological locality with human and extinct-animal remains. Its deposits preserve evidence of moa and eagle remains in an archaeological setting.
Holocene extinction: The Holocene extinction is the ongoing loss of species during the current geological epoch, with human activity as a major driver. Haast’s eagle is an early example of a large predator lost during human-era ecological change.
Raptor: A raptor is a bird of prey that hunts or scavenges using hooked bills and strong feet with talons. Haast’s eagle was an unusually large member of this predatory bird group.
Eagle: Eagles are large birds of prey in several genera within the family Accipitridae. The species belongs to the broader group of eagles.
Māori: Māori are the Indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand, known in Māori as Aotearoa. Māori traditions include accounts often connected with the giant bird Te Hokioi.
Human impact on the environment: Human impact on the environment includes changes to ecosystems caused by human activities. Human settlement and hunting contributed to the ecological changes associated with its extinction.
Island gigantism: Island gigantism is the evolution of unusually large body size in populations isolated on islands. Its enormous size is often discussed alongside this island-evolution pattern.
Eagle evolution: Eagle evolution is the diversification of eagle lineages over geological time. Genetic evidence places Haast’s eagle within the history of eagle diversification.

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