The Origin of the Name Penguin

Penguins — Source: Wikipedia

The name penguin was not originally used for the birds we know today.

Great Auk — Source: Wikipedia

The name was first used for a bird called the Great Auk, a large seabird that could not fly and lived in the North Atlantic. This bird looked similar to modern penguins: it had black and white feathers, stood upright, and was a good swimmer.

When European sailors later found penguins in the Southern Hemisphere, they thought these birds were the same as the Great Auk. Because they looked very similar, the sailors started using the same name: penguin.

In reality, the two birds are not closely related. Their similarity is an example of convergent evolution, when different species develop similar traits because they live in similar environments.

Sadly, the Great Auk became extinct in 1844.