In Māori mythology, the giant bird said to attack and eat humans was the Pouakai.
The Pouakai, also spelled Pouākai or Pōuakai in some accounts, is described as a monstrous bird of prey in Māori tradition, especially associated with New Zealand’s South Island. Legends say it could kill and consume people, making it far more frightening than ordinary birds.
The story may preserve a cultural memory of Haast’s eagle, an enormous real eagle that once lived in New Zealand. It was the largest known eagle species and powerful enough to prey on giant moa. Haast’s eagle disappeared after human settlement, habitat loss, declining prey, and hunting, but the mythological Pouakai is not simply another name for the animal.
A common mix-up is choosing Haast’s eagle because it may have inspired the legend. However, the question asks for the Māori mythological creature, so Pouakai is the canonical answer; Taniwha are supernatural beings generally associated with waterways, while moa were flightless birds.