Story: Birds of prey

Haast’s eagle

As shown in this reconstruction, Haast’s eagle preyed on moa and other large birds. The world’s largest eagle, it became extinct after its main prey had been hunted to extinction. Its 3-metre wingspan was relatively short for a 12–13-kilogram eagle, but longer wings would have made flying in the forest difficult.

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How to cite this page:

Gerard Hutching, 'Birds of prey - New Zealand’s birds of prey', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/9945/haasts-eagle (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Gerard Hutching, published 24 Sep 2007, reviewed & revised 17 Feb 2015