Description
English: Size comparsion between 4 species of moa bird and a human. 1. Dinornis novaezelandiae (3 meters tall). 2. Emeus crassus (1.8 meters tall). 3. Anomalopteryx didiformis (1.3 meters tall). 4. Dinornis robustus (3.6 meters tall).
Author Conty https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Conty
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dinornithidae_SIZE_01.png

Order: Dinornithiformes
Type species: Dinornis novaezealandiae
Diversity: 6 genera, 9 species
Synonyms:
Dinornithes Gadow, 1893
Immanes Newton 1884

The moa were nine species (in six genera) of flightless birds endemic to New Zealand. The two largest species, Dinornis robustus and Dinornis novaezelandiae, reached about 3.6 m in height with neck outstretched, and weighed about 230 kg. When Polynesians settled New Zealand around CE 1280, the moa population was about 58,000. Moa belong to the order Dinornithiformes, traditionally placed in the ratite group. However, their closest relatives have been found by genetic studies to be the flighted South American tinamous, once considered to be a sister group to ratites. The nine species of moa were the only wingless birds lacking even the vestigial wings which all other ratites have. They were the dominant herbivores in New Zealand's forest, shrubland and subalpine ecosystems for thousands of years, and until the arrival of the Māori were hunted only by the Haast's eagle. Moa extinction occurred around CE 1300 - CE 1440 ± 20 years, primarily due to overhunting by Māori.

Order Dinornithiformes (moa)
- Family Dinornithidae
-- Genus Dinornis
---- North Island giant moa, Dinornis novaezealandiae (North Island, New Zealand)
---- South Island giant moa, Dinornis robustus (South Island, New Zealand)
- Family Emeidae (lesser moas)
-- Genus Anomalopteryx
---- Bush moa, Anomalopteryx didiformis (South Island, New Zealand)
-- Genus Emeus
---- Eastern moa, Emeus crassus (South Island, New Zealand)
-- Genus Euryapteryx
---- Coastal moa, Euryapteryx curtus (North and South Island, New Zealand)
-- Genus Pachyornis
---- Heavy-footed moa, Pachyornis elephantopus (South Island, New Zealand)
---- Mantell's moa, Pachyornis geranoides (North Island, New Zealand)
---- Crested moa, Pachyornis australis (South Island, New Zealand)
- Family Megalapterygidae
-- Genus Megalapteryx
---- Upland moa, Megalapteryx didinus (South Island, New Zealand)