New Zealand is host to several varieties of flightless birds including the Kiwi and Kokako. The largest flightless bird in New Zealand was the Giant Moa (scientific name Dinornis maximus and Dinornis giganteus), which stood as much as two meters (six and a half feet) at the shoulder. The average Moa was about the size of the Australian emu. Some Moa species were as small as a turkey. Altogether eleven species of Moa are known from the fossil record.
Moas are classified as ratites. Living ratites include the Ostrich of Africa, the Emu of Australia, the Rhea of South America, the Cassowary of Australia and New Guinea, and the Kiwi of New Zealand. Another extinct ratite was the giant Vorompatra or "elephant bird" Aepyornis maximus of Madagascar.
All Moa species appear to have died out no later than about one thousand years ago. They were probably hunted to extinction. Occasional sightings in the nineteenth and early twentieth century suggest that a few Moas may have lingered, but it is most likely that Moas are now extinct.
See the Birds section of my cryptozoology links page for more sites offering information about the Moa.
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This stamp is part of a seven stamp series depicting prehistoric animals. Others are Mesosaurus, Styracosaurus, Uintatherium, Protoceratops, Stegosaurus, and Ceratosaurus. |
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This moa stamp is part of a five stamp set showing extinct birds. The other birds are the dodo, the Ara de Cuba (a parrot), the passenger pigeon, and the Great Auk. |
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This moa stamp is part of a five stamp set showing extinct birds. The other birds are the dodo (dronte), Hesperornis, Archaeopteryx, and Phororhacus. |
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This moa stamp is part of a seven stamp set about prehistoric animals. The other stamps in the set display the Ceratosaurus, Mosasaurus, Protoceratops, Styracosaurus, Smilodon, and Uintatherium. |
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This souvenir sheet was issued to commemorate Earth Day 1999. |
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This stamp depicts men hunting a giant moa with a boomerang. Part of a set of four stamps depicting prehistoric men. |
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This Moa sheet is part of a six stamp set about extinct birds. The others are the Adzebill, Laughing Owl, Piopio, Hala, and Giant Eagle. |
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The Moa appears as one panel on a souvenir sheet of twelve depicting prehistoric animals of the world. |
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Last modified by pib on July 6, 2003.
