The great auk was a flightless bird measuring up to 33 inches tall. Although not related, its black and white coloring resembled a penguin. The bird’s distribution once covered the North Atlantic coasts. But the species were victims of unrelenting hunting, especially during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Finally, the last breeding pair was killed on Eldey Island in 1844. This bronze memorial was created by sculptor Todd McGrain as part of his Lost Bird Project.
