Skip to main content

Story: Pacific migrations

Fossil remains of the giant megapode Megavitiornis altirostris

Image
Fossil remains of the giant iguana Lapitiguana impensa (2nd of 3)

The giant megapode, a flightless bird, was no doubt quickly killed off by human settlers when they arrived on islands inhabited by these birds. These remains of a bird’s foot are from the Fijian island of Viti Levu. The only megapode that still lives on in Polynesia is Megapodius pritchardii. Smaller than the giant megapode, it survives on the volcanic Tongan island of Niuafo’ou.

Using this item

Palaeofaunal Surveys

by Jim Palmer and T. H. Worthy

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Geoff Irwin, Pacific migrations – Into Remote Oceania: Lapita people, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/4235/fossil-remains-of-the-giant-megapode-megavitiornis-altirostris (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Geoff Irwin, published 4 March 2009, updated 8 February 2017.