moa [Maori], common name for an extinct flightless bird of New Zealand related to the kiwi, the emu, the cassowary, and the ostrich. The various species ranged in size from that of a turkey to the 10-ft (3-m) Dinornis giganteus. The bird had a short stout bill and was wingless—even the shoulder girdle was lacking in most species. Remains preserved in caves and bogs include bones, pieces of skin, feathers, and egg shells. Although the birds were hunted largely by the Maoris, the reason for the moas' extinction is not precisely known. Moas, along with several other orders of extinct and extant birds, belong to a group called ratites, all of which are flightless and share other common anatomical features. It is estimated that there were around 10 species of moas. Moas are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Dinornithiformes, family Dinornithidae.

Martinson, Helga Maria (Moa), 1890-1964, Swedish novelist and poet. The mother of five children before she was 25, Martinson began writing late; her first novel was Women and Apple Trees (1933, tr. 1985). My Mother Gets Married (1936, tr. 1988), considered her best work, depicted the miseries of working-class women, as did most of her novels. Her works are often autobiographical as well as historical in content.

Any of 13–25 species of extinct ratite of New Zealand constituting the order Dinornithiformes. Species ranged from turkey-sized to 10 ft (3 m) high. Moas were swift runners that defended themselves by kicking. They were hunted for their flesh (eaten as food), bones (used as weapons and ornaments), and eggs (used for water vessels). The larger moas were probably extinct by the late 17th century; a few smaller species may have survived into the 19th century. Moas browsed and grazed on seeds, fruits, leaves, and grasses. They laid a single large egg in a hollow in the ground.

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