Haast's eagle was the enormous New Zealand bird of prey that weighed up to about 18 kilograms and disappeared around 1400 AD. Its scientific name is Hieraaetus moorei, and it lived on New Zealand's South Island.
It was the largest eagle known to have existed, with females substantially larger than males. The eagle's extraordinary size evolved alongside its main prey: moa, flightless birds that could weigh as much as 200 kilograms. Haast's eagle could attack animals many times heavier than itself, using powerful feet and a large bill to inflict fatal wounds.
The species vanished soon after Māori settlement. Hunting reduced moa populations, while fire changed forest habitats and introduced Polynesian rats affected native wildlife. Once the moa disappeared, Haast's eagle lost the specialized prey base on which it depended. Extinction probably followed within a short period.
It is often linked with the Māori pouākai, a legendary giant bird. Although called an eagle, modern anatomical research suggests its feeding behavior may have shared some features with vultures, especially the way it accessed the bodies of very large prey.