The Not-So-Great Auk Trivia Quiz

Answer: New Zealand

The Norfolk Island kaka is an extinct parrot that was found on Norfolk Island, near New Zealand, the home of its cousin. It was orange and brown in color and was hunted for food and as a pet. These actions caused the bird to go extinct around 1851.

Answer: Mauritius

This parrot was a probable nut eating species whose color is unknown. It did not fly very well but was not completely flightless. This bird became extinct in the 17th century because of a combination of hunting by man, deforestation, and the predatory behavior of invasive species.

Answer: False

The Cuban macaw went extinct in the 19th century because of overhunting and hurricanes. It was found only on the island of Cuba and the Isla de la Juventud. These birds fed on hard seeds and possibly fruit.

Answer: Hawaii

This little brown bird is the Hawaiian rail. Found mostly on the big island of Hawaii, these were flightless birds that mated and gave birth on the ground. This bird was last seen around 1884. Introduced cats and dogs are responsible for this species extinction.

Answer: Ogasawara Islands

This bird was found on the Ogasawara Islands of Japan. It was extinct less than fifty years after discovery because of introduced species to the islands, including cats, rats and pigs. It was a shy bird that did not fly much, if at all. This was a solitary bird that was seen alone or in breeding pairs.

Answer: False

The Hoopoe starling was a bird that was endemic to the island of Reunion. It is thought to have become extinct around 1850. They lived in large flocks where they ate, mated, and flew around the marshes the island. They fed on insects, berries and seeds.

Answer: Réunion, Mascarenes

This bird went extinct around 1730. This bird is reported to have lived on the Plaine des Cafres, the highland region of Reunion. It is only known from six personal reports and bears a strong resemblance to the Takahe, a local bird that is still around.

Answer: Their meat was poisonous.

The Carolina parakeet was an unusual bird in that their meat was poisonous. They probably got this way from eating the toxic seeds of cockleburs. They made their homes all across the US and parts of Canada. They ate seeds and the last of them died in the Cincinnati Zoo in 1918.

Answer: Atlantic Ocean

The Labrador duck is the first native North American bird to go extinct after 1500. The bird was last seen around 1878. Found on the Atlantic coast, this bird fed on mollusks and wintered in New England. It was thought to have bred in Labrador.

Answer: Fish

The Great auk fed on small fish and was usually found near island formations. They are thought to have mated for life and produced one offspring each year. These birds lived in the northern Atlantic and were hunted by the polar bear. This bird went extinct around 1844, because of humans hunting it for its down, which was used in the making of pillows.