Largest Eagle Ever Known, Extinct!
Learn all about the Haast's Eagle and how it went extinct...
All About the Haast's Eagle
Once living on the South Island of New Zealand, the Haast's Eagle was the largest ever known eagle to have existed in the world. The Haast's Eagle was first described by Julius von Haast, whom it was named after, from remains found in what used to be a marsh. Its species name, moorei, was named after the owner of the land where the bones were found. The Haast's Eagle is thought to be most closely related to the little eagle and the booted eagle. They are estimated to have diverged from it's relatives 700,000 to 1.8 million years ago.
The Haast's Eagle mostly preyed on small flightless birds, including its main prey, the moa, which were up to 15 times the eagle's own weight. It is estimated that the Haast's Eagle could attack at speeds up to 80 km/hr. It is believed that when the Haast's Eagle first arrived at the island, it evolved over time to be larger due to its predation on the large birds. The estimated population was 3,000-4,500 breeding pairs.
Haast's Eagle Sculpture
The Extinction of the Haast's Eagle
The Extinction of the Haast's Eagle
Bibliography
"Haast's Eagle | New Zealand Birds Online." Haast's Eagle | New Zealand Birds Online. N.p., 2013. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
"Haast Eagle." Dinopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.