This has been confirmed by analysis for sex-specific genetic markers of DNA extracted from bone material; the females of E. crassus were 15-25% larger than males.

[9] Like other moa, it had no vestigial wing bones, hair-like feathers (beige in this case), a long neck and large, powerful legs with very short, strong tarsi.

Soft parts of its body, such as tracheal rings (cartilage) or remnants of skin have been found in the form of mummified specimens, as well as single bones and complete skeletons.

[13] Eastern moa lived only on the South Island of New Zealand, inhabiting lowland habitats like forests, grasslands, dunelands, and shrublands.

[14] Human colonists (specifically the Māori, who called the animals "moa mōmona")[1] hunted Emeus into extinction with relative ease.