A broad-billed moa (Euryapteryx curtus) wandering through a forest to search for its favorite plant food.
A Moa is a group of New Zealand flightless birds that are found in both North Island and South Island. All known species of moa are herbivores, so they feed on whatever plant food source is available. All known moa species have no vestigial wing bones and they all have hair-like feathers, a long neck and large powerful legs with very short and strong tarsi. There are 8 extant species and 1 extinct species.
Extant species[]
A male South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) guarding his egg.
- South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) - This species of moa is among the largest moas and the tallest of the moas, with some individuals growing more than about 6 feet tall at shoulder height and can be about 11 feet tall when foraging on leaves on the tall trees. They are native to much of South Island, New Zealand, with their natural habitats consisting lowlands (including shrubland, duneland, grassland, and forests), but can sometimes be found in farmlands, fields, urban areas, and suburbs. They are listed as Least Concern as there are no known threats to this species as of right now.
- North Island giant moa (Dinornis novaezealandiae) - This moa species is a close relative of the South Island giant moa that lives in North Island, New Zealand, and is one of the largest of the moa family. They mainly feed on low-lying plants and sometimes leaves from tall trees. mainly live in shrublands, grasslands, and forests, but can sometimes be found in farmland, fields, urban areas, and suburbs. They are listed as Near Threatened due to habitat loss.
- Bush moa (Anomalopteryx didiformis) - This species of moa is one of the smallest of the moa species, reaching only about 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) tall and usually weighs 30 kilograms (66 lb). They mainly feed on low-lying plants and grass. They live in South Island and mainly live in shrublands, duneland, swamps, forests, and grasslands, but can be found in large numbers in farmland, fields, urban areas, and suburbs. They are common herbivores and are the least endangered moa species, being able to tolerate nonnative species and human activities, so they are listed as Least Concern.
- Eastern moa (Emeus crassus) - This moa is a relatively small species of moa, usually standing 1.5 to 1.8 metres (4.9–5.9 ft) tall. Its feet are exceptionally wide compared to other moas, making it a very slow creature. Unlike most moa species, its head is relatively bald, no one knows why this moa has a bald head. They live South Island and mainly live in lowland forests, grasslands, dunelands, and shrublands, but can sometimes be found in farmland, fields, urban areas, suburbs. They are listed as Vulnerable due to habitat loss.
- Broad-billed moa (Euryapteryx curtus) - This species of moa is a medium sized species that grows more than 5 feet tall. They are usually found living in their native habitats like dunelands, forests, shrublands, and grasslands, but can sometimes be found in farmlands, fields, urban areas, and suburbs. They are listed as Near Threatened due to habitat loss and the North Island populations are facing competition from nonnative heavy-footed moas.
- Heavy-footed moa (Pachyornis elephantopus) - This moa species is a medium sized species that grows to about 1.8 m (5.9 ft) tall, and usually weighs as much as 145 kg (320 lb). They are very widespread in South Island, and were introduced accidentally and successfully established populations to North Island after escaping from moa farms. They are usually found thriving in shrublands, dunelands, grasslands, and forests, but can very common in farmland, fields, urban areas, and suburbs. They are listed as Least Concern as they are tolerating well with human activities and nonnative species.
- Crested moa (Pachyornis australis) - This species of moa has brown and blue feather crests on their heads, hence their names. They are usually about 5.1 feet tall and weighs about 75 kg (165 lb). They are native to South Island's habitats like grasslands and forests, but can rarely be found in farmlands and fields. They are listed as Endangered due to habitat loss.
- Upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus) - This moa species is among the smallest moa species, less than 1 meter tall and about 17 to 34 kilograms. Unlike other moas, it has feathers covering all of its body but the beak and the soles of its feet, an adaptation to its cold environment. It is usually found in habitats of South Island like mountains and other cold regions, but can sometimes live near or in towns in where this moa species lives in. It is listed as Near Threatened due to glacial melting relating to global warming and slight habitat loss.
Extinct species[]
- Mantell's moa (Pachyornis geranoides) - This extinct moa species was a medium sized moa that probably grew about 5.7 feet tall and weighed about 75 kg (165 lb). Like all moas (both modern and extinct), this bird was a herbivore. Its habitat was the lowlands (shrublands, grasslands, dunelands, and forests). It is extinct, dying out in 1800s, possibly due to overhunting by humans and habitat loss.