The Moa’s Return? 7 Shocking Extinct Birds Of New Zealand And The $150M Plan To Bring One Back

New Zealand’s unique avifauna, once a spectacular world of flightless giants and vibrant endemic species, suffered a catastrophic loss following human arrival. This island nation, shaped by millions of years without mammalian predators, became a graveyard for over 50 bird species, with the most famous being the colossal Moa. As of late 2025, the narrative of loss is facing a radical new chapter: a multi-million dollar venture is underway, not just to study these lost creatures, but to genetically engineer a version of the giant Moa back into existence, a project that is reshaping the global conversation around conservation and de-extinction. The story of New Zealand’s extinct birds is a profound lesson in island ecology, demonstrating the fragility of species that evolved without natural defenses against introduced predators and human hunting. The following list details the most iconic and tragic losses, providing a glimpse into the rich biodiversity that once dominated the islands.

The Great Loss: A Biography of New Zealand’s Most Iconic Extinct Avifauna

The vast majority of extinctions in New Zealand occurred in two major waves: the first following the arrival of the Māori (around 1300 AD) and the second after European settlement (post-1840). The sheer number of lost species is staggering, with estimates suggesting over 50 bird species and subspecies have vanished since human arrival.

The Moa (Order Dinornithiformes)

• Description: A group of nine species of giant, flightless birds, ranging from the turkey-sized Emeus to the towering South Island Giant Moa (*Dinornis robustus*), which stood up to 12 feet tall and weighed over 250 kg.
• Habitat: Varied across North and South Islands, from forests to sub-alpine scrub.
• Cause of Extinction: Primarily over-hunting by early Māori settlers.
• Time of Extinction: Approximately 1400 AD.
• Entity Count: The nine species are: *Dinornis robustus* (South Island Giant Moa), *Dinornis novaezealandiae* (North Island Giant Moa), *Emeus crassus* (Eastern Moa), *Euryapteryx curtus* (Broad-billed Moa), *Pachyornis elephantopus* (Heavy-footed Moa), *Pachyornis geranoides* (Mantle’s Moa), *Anomalopteryx didiformis* (Little Bush Moa), *Megalapteryx didinus* (Upland Moa), and *Pachyornis australis* (Crested Moa). (9 Entities)

Haast’s Eagle (Te Hōkioi or Pouākai) (*Harpagornis moorei*)

• Description: The largest eagle species known to have existed, with a wingspan of up to 3 meters (9.8 ft). It was a top-tier apex predator.
• Habitat: South Island, preying primarily on Moa.
• Cause of Extinction: Loss of its main food source (the Moa) due to human hunting.
• Time of Extinction: Approximately 1400 AD.

Huia (*Heteralocha acutirostris*)

• Description: A beautiful, glossy black songbird with unique, sexually dimorphic beaks (the male had a short, straight beak; the female had a long, curved beak).
• Habitat: North Island forests.
• Cause of Extinction: Over-hunting for museum collectors and their tail feathers, which became a status symbol for European settlers and Māori chiefs.
• Time of Extinction: Last confirmed sighting was in 1907.

Laughing Owl (*Sceloglaux albifacies*)

• Description: A medium-sized owl named for its unique, loud, and distinctive call—a series of mournful, whooping cries that sounded like laughter.
• Habitat: South Island, preferring rocky, open country.
• Cause of Extinction: Predation by introduced species, especially stoats and cats, and habitat modification.
• Time of Extinction: Last confirmed sighting was in 1914.

Lyall’s Wren (Traversia lyalli)

• Description: A small, flightless passerine bird, famously associated with Stephens Island.
• Habitat: Confined primarily to small islands, including Stephens Island.
• Cause of Extinction: Often cited as being driven to extinction by a single lighthouse keeper’s cat named Tibbles, though the true cause was likely a combination of introduced predators across its range.
• Time of Extinction: Circa 1895.

Bush Wren (*Xenicus longipes*)

• Description: A small, insectivorous wren, known for its cryptic nature and short tail.
• Habitat: Forests of the North, South, and Stewart Islands.
• Cause of Extinction: Predation by introduced rats and stoats.
• Time of Extinction: Declared extinct in 1972 (last sighting 1968).

South Island Snipe (*Coenocorypha iredalei*)

• Description: A small, cryptic shorebird, similar to the living subantarctic snipe species.
• Habitat: Swampy areas and dense vegetation of the South Island.
• Cause of Extinction: Introduced mammalian predators.
• Time of Extinction: Circa 1964.

(Total entities listed: 9 Moa species + 6 others = 15 entities)

The Cutting Edge of Conservation: De-Extinction and the Moa Project

The concept of bringing back an extinct species, once confined to science fiction, is now a serious scientific endeavor, and New Zealand’s Moa is at the epicenter of this controversial movement. In a move that captured global headlines in late 2024, the Texas-based biotech company Colossal Biosciences announced a major initiative to genetically resurrect the South Island Giant Moa (*Dinornis robustus*). This ambitious project, backed by significant private funding, aims to reverse the extinction event that occurred nearly 600 years ago. The Moa de-extinction project is not about cloning a frozen specimen, but about using ancient DNA extracted from Moa remains to inform the genetic engineering of a closely related living species, such as the emu or ostrich. The goal is to create a hybrid animal that possesses the key physical and ecological traits of the lost giant. Key aspects of this cutting-edge research include:

• Genome Sequencing: Colossal and its partners, including the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre in New Zealand, are working to sequence the complete genomes for all nine known Moa species.
• Genetic Engineering: Using advanced CRISPR technology to edit the genome of a modern relative to incorporate Moa-specific traits.
• Cultural Partnership: The project is unique in its deep collaboration with the Ngāi Tahu iwi (Māori tribe), who view the Moa as a significant ancestor and a lost part of their cultural heritage, ensuring the project aligns with indigenous values and environmental stewardship.

While the project is framed with a 5-to-10-year timeline for a successful 'de-extinct' bird, it raises profound ethical and ecological questions about the impact of introducing a genetically engineered giant into a modern, predator-modified ecosystem.

Lessons from the Past: The Role of Introduced Predators and Conservation Success

The primary drivers of New Zealand’s bird extinctions were remarkably consistent: human hunting in the initial wave (targeting the Moa and Haast's Eagle) and the devastating impact of introduced mammalian predators in the second wave. New Zealand’s native birds evolved in a world where the only native mammals were two species of bat. They were ill-equipped to defend themselves against predators like the Polynesian rat (*kiore*), the ship rat, mice, cats, dogs, stoats, and possums, which were introduced by settlers. These invasive species, particularly the stoat and the rat, preyed mercilessly on flightless or ground-nesting birds and their eggs, leading to the rapid decline of species like the Laughing Owl and the Bush Wren.

The Takahē: A Beacon of Hope

The story of the Takahē (*Porphyrio hochstetteri*) stands as a powerful testament to modern conservation efforts and a crucial LSI keyword for the topic of extinction. This large, flightless, and brilliantly colored rail was declared extinct in 1898. However, a small, hidden population was dramatically rediscovered in 1948 in the remote Murchison Mountains of the South Island. Since its rediscovery, the Takahē has been the subject of one of the world's most intensive conservation programs. The use of predator-free offshore islands, captive breeding programs, and mainland sanctuaries has allowed its population to rebound significantly. In a major conservation milestone, a group of Takahē was recently released back into the wild in their ancestral home in the South Island, a place they hadn't roamed for nearly a century. The success of the Takahē program, alongside efforts to save other critically endangered endemic species like the Kākāpō (the world's only flightless parrot) and the Kiwi, provides a vital counter-narrative to the tragic extinctions. These efforts underscore that while de-extinction is a futuristic concept, the most immediate and effective path to preserving New Zealand’s unique avifaunal diversity lies in aggressive predator eradication and the creation of safe, predator-free havens.

The Future of New Zealand’s Endemic Avifauna

The current conservation focus in New Zealand is the "Predator Free 2050" initiative, a bold national goal to eradicate the most damaging introduced predators (rats, stoats, and possums) from the entire country by 2050. This ambitious plan is seen by many scientists as the only way to truly secure the future of the nation’s remaining vulnerable endemic birds, including the Kākāpō, the Kākā, and the Tūī. Whether the Moa will one day stride across the New Zealand landscape again remains to be seen, but the research into its genome is providing invaluable data on the evolutionary history of New Zealand’s lost giants. The legacy of the extinct birds serves as a constant, stark reminder of the delicate balance of island ecosystems and the profound responsibility humans hold as the primary agents of environmental change.