Although it is unclear whether pākehā and other settlers encountered the Haast’s eagle, those that did probably barely had the chance to run away – let alone give it a name! Māori knew it as: te hōkioi or pouākai – the old glutton. What other names does the Haast's eagle have? However, most New Zealand birds are not brightly coloured and most experts agree that it is most likely to have been a more sombre brown or brownish-grey similar to the other very large forest eagles found around the world today. There have been fanciful reconstructions giving the bird a crest and colourful plumage similar to the ornate hawk eagle Spizaetus ornatus which like many tropical birds is more brightly coloured than temperate forms.
Its largest claws were as long as 9cm, making them as large as those of a tiger! Sadly the colour of its plumage is pure speculation. From its skeleton it appears related to the little eagle of Australia ( Hieraaetus morphnoides), and there is evidence that its wings were comparitively short and its legs stronger than those of other eagles.The size and strength of its legs and talons indicate that it was an effective and active predator, able to kill very large prey. It is thought to have been heavier in relation to wing size than any of the eagles alive today. With a wingspan of between two and three metres, and weighing up to 13 kilograms, the Haast’s eagle is the largest eagle ever to have existed in the world. It is known in Māori legend as te hōkioi or pouākai and there is little doubt that early settlers would have fallen victim to this most terrifying of aerial predators! The Haast’s Eagle was the biggest, baddest, most magnificent eagle ever to have existed in the world.
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