Meet The Largest Eagle Ever: It Went Extinct 500 Years Ago
By: EjazUlHaqBhat
Image: X/@HodariNundu
With a wingspan of between 2 and 3 metres, and weighing up to 13 kg, the Haast's eagle is the largest eagle to have ever existed in the world
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It had short wings, strong legs, and claws that were up to 9 cm long
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It had a large head, bill, legs, and talons. Its bill was up to 130 mm long, and its talons were up to 75 mm long
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Most experts agree that the Haast's eagle was most likely to have been a more sombre brown or brownish grey
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Native to New Zealand, it preyed on the moa, a flightless extinct bird that could weigh up to 230 kg
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The Haast's eagle had vulture-like features, including a skull designed to dive into the juiciest parts of its prey
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The Haast's eagle became extinct around 1445, following the arrival of the Maori, an indigenous tribe that settled in New Zealand
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The Maori hunted moa to extinction, introduced the Polynesian rat, and destroyed large tracts of forest by fire
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