#moa-keeper

[otussketching]

I haven’t drawn Moa-keeper for a while, huh.

I’m sure she’s been doing fine, raising clutches of moa and other extinct New Zealand’s birds. As well as gardening, birdwatching, and simply keeping her homestead going with the increasing number of avian residents.

There, away from all the ruckus, away from the horrors of the world, she’s relaxing with her moa. Although, she could have picked a better song to sing.

[otussketching]

Just some Moa. Not to scale.

From left to right, Eastern moa (Emeus crassus), Little bush moa (Anomalopteryx didiformis), and Upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus)

These species in particular are known from spectacular partially mummified remains, giving insights into the external appearance of Moa.

They also show just how diverse Moa really were. After all, there were 9 species of Moa in New Zealand. From the turkey-sized Little bush moa to the two species of Gianf moa, which were among the biggest birds on Earth. Not all of them looked the same, and they all lived in different habitats.

This makes their loss even more significant, as they played a vital role in their ecosystems, as big herbivores tend to be. However, on the land of Aotearoa, the Moa are no moa.

[otussketching]

The Moa-keeper takes a ride on Iti the South Island giant Moa! Quite fun on a hot summer day.

However, that begs the question. Could you actually ride a moa? Well, it's complicated. Most moa were a shorter than a person, and you probably couldn't ride them. Thus, we have to stick with the biggest individuals, which are females of the genus Dinornis, the Giant Moa. They could grow up to 2 meters tall at the hips, and could crane their necks to 3,5 meters. They could look an elephant in the eye. So they are big enough to ride. They are also very robust in structure with wide hips and large feet, making them quite stable steeds.

However, there's a problem. Bird bones are pneumaticed, even those of the biggest Moa. This means that the bones are full of airsacks and have a honeycomb-like structure. And while this adds strength and keeps the bones light, they are very bad at bearing additional loads, unlike the heavy and rigid bones of large mammals. People riding ostriches isn't a good idea because reasons, as ostrich bones really aren't built for that kind of use.

So could you ride a Giant Moa? Maybe. But you really shouldn't do it. But if you insist, just don't do it often. That's how the Moa-keeper does it, anyway.

[otussketching]

Oc-tober day 6: Some moa Moa-keeper.

Moa are not the only birds the Moa-keeper has in her grounds. Among her more troublesome specimens is a single Haast's eagle.

The eagle is kept in a large aviary, and is fed a rich diet of roadkill, rats, razorback and deer. They are kept in a more secluded part of the area to keep the other birds safe and calm.

However, despite safety precautions the Eagle has escaped from her aviary at least once, which didn't please the neighbours.

Despite all that, the Moa-keeper still loves her regal goof. After all, it is still a beautiful bird. Just remember to always wear gloves while handling the eagle.

[otussketching]

Decided to doodle some moa. As they only became extinct rather recently, we have a plethora of specimens, including mummified remains of skin and feathers. And from these three, we have details from their necks and/or heads.

From the upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus) two complete heads are known. These are excuisite, and with a complete foot, a whole leg, feathers and more, we have a pretty good understanding of what it was like. The Bush moa ( Anomalopteryx didiformis) has one mummified skeleton with a well-preserved head and beak, and from the Eastern moa (Emeus crassus) a piece of neck skin is known, revealing it had at least a partially bald neck and head, not unlike that of the Emu or Cassowary. From these excuisite specimens one can get a glimpse of Moa diversity.

This also includes a tip for palaeoillustration: before breathing the life into your illustration, drawing the specimens is a good idea, as it lets one observe the structure of the subject in detail. Also, I have a feeling one of these was the first birds the Moa-keeper brought back. The Upland moa, perhaps.

[otussketching]

Meet Dindii. They're an Upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus).

They were among the first animals the Moa-keeper brought back with her equipment. Ever since, Dindii has lived quite happily in the garden, exploring the world.

Despite being in the present more than most other moa on the farm, Dindii is quite distrustful of most humans. They usually keep their distance and don't allow being petted. They do like the Moa-keeper though. It might have something to do with strawberries.

[otussketching]

OC-tober day 3: The Moa-keeper

Everyone who takes care of animals knows that it's not easy. The Moa-keeper is no exception. She has had her heart broken.

By adorable hatchling Moa, that is. After she hatched her first clutch, the little rascals have stolen and broken her heart with cuteness.

Seriously. Her heart can't take all that cuteness. She may need some medical assistance.

[otussketching]

Oc-tober day 21: A significant other.

Moakeeper with her spouse, who worked as a seabird biologist for the local university, together birdwatcing.

She doesn’t talk about him a lot anymore. Not after the accident. Getting over such a loss is hard, you know.