The word penguin first appears in the 16th century as a synonym for great auk. When European explorers discovered what are today known as penguins in the Southern Hemisphere.
The great auk is a flightless bird of the alcid family that became extinct in the mid-19th century.
The great auk was 75 to 85 centimetres (30 to 33 in) tall and weighed around 5 kilograms (11 lb).
During summer, the great auk's plumage showed a white patch over each eye. During winter, the auk lost these patches, instead developing a white band stretching between the eyes.
On 3 July 1844, the last two confirmed specimens of Great auk were killed on Eldey, off the coast of Iceland, which also eliminated the last known breeding attempt.
The Irish name for the great auk is 'falcóg mhór', meaning 'big seabird/auk'.
Great auk, Standing about 75 to 85 centimetres (30 to 33 in) tall and weighing around 5 kilograms (11 lb) as adult birds.
The back was primarily a glossy black, and the stomach was white. The neck and legs were short, and the head and wings small.
The great auk wings were only 15 centimetres (5.9 in) in length and the longest wing feathers were only 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long.
By the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the breeding range of the great auk was restricted to Funk Island, Grimsey Island, Eldey Island, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and St Kilda Island.
Great auks walked slowly and sometimes used their wings to help them traverse rough terrain.
