It certainly was capable of taking a person down. Haast's eagles were one of the largest known true raptors. With its great size, terrible talons, and maneuverability, Haast's eagle must have been a formidable predator, but what did it eat? They used their formidable size and strength to subdue and kill prey much larger than themselves, including the moa, a massive flightless bird that weighed as much as 300 lbs. There are eagles that may eat humans such as the Marshal Eagle, albeit, it would have to a small child and taken by surprise. We need you to answer this question! The Haast’s Eagle was the biggest, baddest most magnificent eagle ever to have existed in the world. Haast's eagle became extinct 500-600 years ago, around the same time that New Zealand's moa species became extinct. Extinct New Zealand eagle may have eaten humans. As it turns out, those stories held some truth after all. When the Maori hunted the moa to extinction in the 1400s, barely a century after their arrival, there was no prey large enough to sustain the Haast’s Eagles, so they became extinct quickly. But most of those were of questionable context, and hyped-up. There was one theropod dinosaur that existed which did hunt down, kill and eat modern humans and this is it: The Haast’s Eagle; species name Harpagornis Moorei, arguably the most terrifying animal modern humans ever met. So yes, a mere 600 years ago, these things roamed the skies, snatching our babies, and maybe even our mommies and daddies. These birds are close relatives of sea eagles and fish eagles. The Haast’s Eagle was the most horrifying and … We’ve all seen videos of spectacular trained-eagle kills. Haast eagle, Harpagornis moorei, found in New Zealand Birds' bird gallery section, includes general information about the bird, taxonomy, description, where to find them and other useful and interesting information. It is known in Maori legend as Pouakai and there is little doubt that early settlers would have fallen victim to this most terrifying of aerial predators! 3 min read. Debunker is wrong in a number of ways. They had a larger body but weren't much wider, wingtip to wingtip, than today's golden and bald eagles. The Maoris, or native New Zealanders, for generations told stories about a giant bird that could swoop down and carry away human children. September 12, 2009, 9:23 PM. Haast's Eagle - Harpagornis moorei Phylum Chordata (chordates) Class Aves (birds) Order Falconiformes (diurnal birds of prey) Family Accipitridae (eagles, hawks, and kites) Authority Haast, 1872 Comments Dr. Julius von Haast described two species of eagle, one on the basis of small bones which are now believed to represent the male. 5 (Thankfully) Extinct Giant Versions of Modern Animals | Cracked.com - What else did it eat? The photo at right shows a model of a Haast's eagle preying on a moa. A Harpy Eagle is capable of killing a person but I have never heard of it killing a person but I wouldn't leave a … 3 min read. No evidence has been found that Haast’s Eagle preyed on humans, but researchers believe it … Did the haast's eagle eat humans? In these situations, stubbier wings are a much better bet, and because of this, it is thought that Haast's eagle was an animal of forests and bush. Haast’s eagle sculpture near Macres Flat, New Zealand. Michael Casey, Associated Press . Researchers recently completed CAT scans of a Haast’s eagle skeleton that was recovered in the 1870s.