Haastellinen

Haastellinen is a genus of extinct birds belonging to the order Gruiformes. Fossil evidence suggests these birds inhabited what is now New Zealand during the Pleistocene epoch. The most notable species, Haastellinen elegans, is known from several fossil skeletons, primarily found in cave deposits. These remains indicate a relatively small bird, roughly the size of a modern coot or moorhen.

The anatomy of Haastellinen suggests it was a ground-dwelling bird, likely adapted for foraging in damp environments. Its beak was moderately sized and appears to have been suitable for consuming invertebrates and plant matter. The legs were proportionally short and robust, consistent with a terrestrial lifestyle. While direct evidence of its flight capabilities is limited, the structure of its wing bones suggests it may have been a poor flyer or flightless, a common adaptation among island fauna where predators were scarce.

The extinction of Haastellinen, like many other endemic New Zealand birds, is thought to be linked to the arrival of humans and their associated predators. The exact timing and cause of its disappearance are not fully understood but likely occurred within the last few thousand years. The discovery of Haastellinen has contributed to our understanding of the avian biodiversity that once existed in pre-human New Zealand.