Re: Big birds on Paleoworld

[derek@iprolink.co.nz (Derek Tearne)]

At 10:54 PM 7/1/96 -0500, Raptor wrote:
>Someone mentioned Argentavus form South America.  I was wondering if any
>of you know the name of the large eagle from Australia?  They found it's
>remains in a cave along with some large flightless birds.

The bird you are thinking of is most likely Haasts eagle, (Harpagornis
moorei)from New Zealand.  With a wingspan of 2.5 metres or more and
weighing up to 13 kg this was probably the worlds largest eagle.

It became extinct when the polynesian population consumed the Moa and
other flightless birds which were its main diet.

Being a forest eagle it's wingspan was proportionately shorter than a
plains or sea eagle of similar weight would have had.


Derek Tearne.  - http://webservices.comp.vuw.ac.nz/artsLink/ManyHands/
Some of the more environmentally aware dinosaurs were worried about the
consequences of an accident with the new Iridium enriched fusion reactor.
"If it goes off only the cockroaches and mammals will survive..." they said.