28Recently extinct
South Island Giant Moa
Dinornis robustus
One of the tallest birds ever known browsed forests without wings of any kind.
South Island, New Zealand
EXTINCT ATLAS WIKIEXTINCT LIFE ARCHIVEBack to archiveRegional animal guides
Extinct Animals of New Zealand
Explore New Zealand’s extinct animals, from moa and Haast’s eagle to huia, adzebills and fossil penguins, with links to their different extinction histories.
Places, environments and evidence
Moa and Haast’s eagle connect ecology with the loss of large birds, while huia has a later history involving habitat clearance, introduced predators and collecting. Kairuku adds a much older marine chapter. Combining these profiles by country does not imply a single extinction event, and Australian or New Caledonian records are not included merely because all belong to Oceania.
29Recently extinct
Haast’s Eagle
Hieraaetus moorei
The largest known eagle evolved to strike moa many times its own weight.
South Island, New Zealand
77Recently extinct
Huia
Heteralocha acutirostris
Males and females had dramatically different bills but foraged as a pair.
North Island, New Zealand
339Recently extinct
Aptornis
Aptornis otidiformis
Powerful legs and a heavy bill belonged to a flightless ground forager.
Forest, wetland and coast · North Island, New Zealand
463Recently extinct
Emeus
Emeus crassus
Strong legs carried a medium moa whose feathers resembled shaggy hair.
Lowland forest and scrub · South Island, New Zealand
567Cenozoic
Kairuku
Kairuku grebneffi
A slender trunk, long bill and large flippers produced a taller silhouette than modern penguins.
Shallow shelf and rocky coast · New Zealand
Common questions
Did every New Zealand animal disappear at the same time?
No. Fossil penguins, moa and historically documented birds represent different time scales. Each profile keeps its own age range and evidence for extinction.