BBCnews is carrying this article detailing new DNA discoveries about the apex predator of prehistoric New Zealand, the Haas Eagle. It turns out this gigantic bird, nearly 40% larger than the largest eagle in existence today, is most closely related to one of the smallest eagles now found in Australia.

The relationship is much closer than scientists originally thought, with the two sharing a common ancestor perhaps just 1 million years ago. Nobody'd ever encountered a species that changed this much this fast, so the biological implications alone are deeply interesting.

These big raptors fed on the biggest birds of them all, the giant Moa. Both were driven to extinction shortly after the arrival of people, about 700 years ago.