# Giant, man-killing eagle legend confirmed



## News Bot (Sep 15, 2009)

*Published On:* 15-Sep-09 12:01 PM
*Source:* AAP via NEWS.com.au

IT might not have killer crocs but New Zealand was once home to an even more fearsome creature that could rip apart humans with its claws.

*Go to Original Article*


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## mebebrian (Sep 15, 2009)

Kiwi's on steroids! Lookout


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## Noongato (Sep 15, 2009)

Of course it was a threat to humans so we wiped it out..


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## moosenoose (Sep 15, 2009)

Clearly the maoris ate them into extinction! :lol: NZFE - New Zealand Fried Eagle!


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## slim6y (Sep 15, 2009)

It would never have survived with kiwis and the eagles fighting for sheep - for food of course....


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## spiderpug (Sep 15, 2009)

*Haha*

Nice one!


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## Australis (Sep 15, 2009)

Like the American thunderbirds.


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## slim6y (Sep 16, 2009)

Australis said:


> Like the American thunderbirds.



They were said to be very different - much much larger - wing spans over 20 feet (wiki said so).

Also _It was said to have had smooth skin, featherless wings like a bat and a face that resembled an alligator._ (wiki said this also).

So I'd have to say much unlike the American thunderbirds


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## Jarden (Sep 18, 2009)

How we do itz


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## Jimbobulan (Sep 28, 2009)

How did humans wipe them out? I would imagine they lived quite high in mountains and would probably put up quite a fight.


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## Andrais (Sep 28, 2009)

haha now i know why they filmed lord of the rings in new zeland  one of these things must of audidtioned for the part of the giant eagle in the last movie


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## slim6y (Sep 30, 2009)

Jimbobulan said:


> How did humans wipe them out? I would imagine they lived quite high in mountains and would probably put up quite a fight.



Maori's used to flush their food out by burning the forest down. It so happened that the Maori people ate moa - a very large flightless bird. 







And as this picture depicts, the moa was also eaten by the eagle. 

Once the Maori had finished with the moa (they drove them to extinction before white man came to NZ) the eagle soon died off with them.

A classic example of unbalancing and eco-system. 

We don't really know what trees have failed to survive because the moa has been wiped out. Very similar to the cassowary in the far north here. If they go, many tree species will find it difficult to reproduce.


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