Story: Moa

Moa and emu eggs

Moa and emu eggs

This egg of the South Island giant moa measures 24 by 17.8 centimetres, and it makes the emu egg beside it look puny. The moa egg was found in a Māori burial site at Kaikōura. The feathers are from an upland moa, and may not be typical of all species. Moa feathers, like the kiwi’s, lacked the barbules that on other birds join the vanes together. Moa feathers would have felt more like hair.

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Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Reference: MA_B.021408

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How to cite this page:

Trevor H. Worthy, 'Moa - Appearance and breeding', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/11383/moa-and-emu-eggs (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Trevor H. Worthy, published 24 Sep 2007, reviewed & revised 17 Feb 2015