Haast eagle

Last week we have been writing about an extinct NZ creature. I chose the haast Eagle.

We have been researching an extinct NZ creature. I chose the Haast eagle because it sounded interesting.

I found it tricky to get it finished in time

I found it easy to find a website to get some information.

My digital learning object shows I can controls see ctrl-v a Google doc on to my blog.

WHat did you learn about the Haast eagle from reading my report?

Haast eagle

The haast eagle was the biggest eagle to live on Earth, weighting up to 17.8kg. Any larger, and it would not have been able to fly.  The classification for a Haast eagle is Accipitriformes.

Bones of the eagle have been found in more than 50 places, mostly in the east and south of the South Island. Some are estimated to be only 500 years old, showing that eagles and humans were alive together. Other bones are up to 30,000 years old.

Compared to other birds of prey, it had short but powerful wings for the size of its body, with a wingspan of up to 3 metres. This probably meant that it "flapped" rather than "soared". This also fits with the theory that the Haast eagle was a forest bird, used to flying quickly through thick vegetation. The Canterbury Plains were once a combination of forest, shrublands and grasslands, with drier forested areas than on the West Coast.