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86-806: The competition started in 1983 with 74 schools. In 2009, there were about 45,000 participants from over 3,000 high schools and middle schools in the U.S. and other countries. The last contest occurred in April 2013. Over the 30 years of KMO competition, more than 2.4 million students participated. There were five levels of competition. Fifth- and sixth-grade contests were held in January and March and consisted of 100 questions. Middle school (up to grade 8), junior high (up to grade 9), and high school (up to grade 12) contests were held in December and April and consisted of 200 questions. The Academic Hallmarks and Knowledge Masters mascot

172-505: A fisherman may choose is dictated mainly by the target species and by its habitat , as well as personal preference. Both natural and artificial baits frequently demonstrate similar efficiency if chosen adequately for the target fish. The overall bait type, size and techniques used will affect the efficiency and yield when fishing. Fishing with baits does come with potential environmental concerns , especially when large quantities of non-native ingredients are involved. A common concern

258-588: A 1775 law banning hunting the great auk for its feathers or eggs were publicly flogged , though hunting for use as fishing bait was still permitted. On the North American side, eider down initially was preferred, but once the eiders were nearly driven to extinction in the 1770s, down collectors switched to the great auk at the same time that hunting for food, fishing bait, and oil decreased. The great auk had disappeared from Funk Island by 1800. An account by Aaron Thomas of HMS Boston from 1794 described how

344-447: A 60-second timer. A correct answer on the first try awarded five points, with up to five bonus points depending on the response time. If time expired or an incorrect response was given, the timer was reset to 60 seconds and the team was given a second chance to answer. Two points were awarded for a correct second-chance response, with no bonus. Bonus points were awarded for correct first-try answers as follows: The maximum potential score

430-508: A bird probably similar to a stout Xantus's murrelet , had spread to the coasts of the Atlantic. Apparently, by that time, the murres, or Atlantic guillemots , already had split from the other Atlantic alcids. Razorbill-like birds were common in the Atlantic during the Pliocene , but the evolution of the little auk is sparsely documented. The molecular data are compatible with either possibility, but

516-445: A designated area (i.e. the fishing ground ) and increase the chance of catching some. Groundbaits are typically scattered in large quantities separately from the hook , usually before even casting any rod or net , although in bottom fishing they can be deployed synchronously with hookbaits while contained inside a gradual-release device known as a method feeder . Groundbaits are often used in freshwater coarse fishing , where

602-399: A grey line ran through the eyes (which still had white eye rings) to just below the ears. Great Auk calls included low croaking and a hoarse scream. A captive great auk was observed making a gurgling noise when anxious. It is not known what its other vocalizations were, but it is believed that they were similar to those of the razorbill , only louder and deeper. The great auk was found in

688-434: A large storm arose. Believing that the bird was a witch and was causing the storm, they then killed it by beating it with a stick. The last colony of great auks lived on Geirfuglasker (the "Great Auk Rock") off Iceland. This islet was a volcanic rock surrounded by cliffs that made it inaccessible to humans, but in 1830, the islet submerged after a volcanic eruption, and the birds moved to the nearby island of Eldey , which

774-552: A man ... but moved its feet quickly. [I] caught it close to the edge – a precipice many fathoms deep. Its wings lay close to the sides – not hanging out. I took him by the neck and he flapped his wings. He made no cry. I strangled him. A later claim of a live individual sighted in 1852 on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland has been accepted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. There

860-409: A particular contest was over, the participating schools could use a second password to unlock the questions for unlimited use in practice sessions. Great auk The great auk ( Pinguinus impennis ), also known as the penguin or garefowl , is a species of flightless alcid that became extinct in the mid-19th century. It was the only modern species in the genus Pinguinus . It

946-405: A radically different evolution compared to Pinguinus . Due to its outward similarity to the razorbill (apart from flightlessness and size), the great auk often was placed in the genus Alca , following Linnaeus. The fossil record (especially the sister species , Pinguinus alfrednewtoni ) and molecular evidence show that the three closely related genera diverged soon after their common ancestor,

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1032-511: A seal. Its ability to dive so deeply reduced competition with other alcid species. The great auk was capable of accelerating underwater, and then shooting out of the water to land on a rocky ledge above the ocean's surface. This alcid typically fed in shoaling waters that were shallower than those frequented by other alcids, although after the breeding season, they had been sighted as far as 500 km (270 nmi) from land. They are believed to have fed cooperatively in flocks. Their main food

1118-525: A single application of cereal bait, and this increased demand could result in local deoxygenation under warm, calm conditions. A Portuguese study showed that the use of 5–10 kg (11–22 lb) of groundbait per angler (approximately 3–20 tons of groundbait per year) did not alter the ecological functioning of the local reservoir but higher angling pressures may lead to a significant increase in nutrient concentrations, and suggested anglers choose groundbaits with low eutrophication potential. A later study by

1204-422: A small amount of bread, often moistened by saliva and sometimes softened by chewing , then squeezed into a small fish bite-sized ball and mounted onto the fishhook. Lures are inedible artificial baits that are replica " fake foods " designed to mimic the appearance of different prey (usually small fish, as well as worms ). Because lures are made of non-biological materials, they do not use scent to attract

1290-438: A valued food source, as the eggs were three times the size of a murre 's and had a large yolk. These sailors also introduced rats onto the islands which preyed upon nests. The Little Ice Age may have reduced the population of the great auk by exposing more of their breeding islands to predation by polar bears, but massive exploitation by humans for their down drastically reduced the population, with recent evidence indicating

1376-510: Is a great auk with an affinity for puns . Each participating school received a password-protected disk (originally a floppy disk, later a CD-ROM) containing the contest questions. Only the first use of the password would generate a valid score report for submission to Academic Hallmarks. Team size was left to each individual school's discretion. All questions were multiple-choice, with a maximum value of 10 points each. Each question and its category were displayed on screen, with five choices and

1462-464: Is a Latin derivative of the Scandinavian word for razorbills and their relatives. The bird was known in literature even before this and was described by Charles d'Ecluse in 1605 as Mergus Americanus. This also included a woodcut which represents the oldest unambiguous visual depictions of the bird. The species was not placed in its own scientific genus , Pinguinus , until 1791. The generic name

1548-443: Is an ongoing discussion about the possibilities for reviving the great auk using its DNA from specimens collected. This possibility is controversial. Fishing bait Fishing bait is any luring substance used specifically to attract and catch fish , typically when angling with a hook and line . There are generally two types of baits used in angling: hookbaits , which are directly mounted onto fish hooks and are what

1634-451: Is derived from the Spanish, Portuguese, and French name for the species, in turn from Latin pinguis meaning "plump", and the specific name , impennis , is from Latin and refers to the lack of flight feathers , or pennae . The Irish name for the great auk is falcóg mhór , meaning "big seabird/auk". The Basque name is arponaz , meaning "spearbill". Its early French name

1720-403: Is not well known and difficult to reconstruct. Much may be inferred from its close, living relative, the razorbill , as well as from remaining soft tissue. Great auks walked slowly and sometimes used their wings to help them traverse rough terrain. When they did run, it was awkwardly and with short steps in a straight line. They had few natural predators, mainly large marine mammals , such as

1806-416: Is that some live baits (e.g. crayfish and pond loach ) can escape and become invasive species , or have the potential to spread diseases or serve as vectors for parasites (e.g. zebra mussel ). It is also known that the use of artificial edible baits (especially groundbaits ) can potentially cause eutrophication in the local water, which may lead to harmful algal blooms . Using inedible lures, on

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1892-541: Is unrelated to the penguins of the Southern Hemisphere, which were named for their resemblance to this species. It bred on rocky, remote islands with easy access to the ocean and a plentiful food supply, a rarity in nature that provided only a few breeding sites for the great auks. During the non-breeding season, the auk foraged in the waters of the North Atlantic , ranging as far south as northern Spain and along

1978-601: The Maritime Archaic site at Port au Choix , Newfoundland , dating to about 2000 BC, was found surrounded by more than 200 great auk beaks, which are believed to have been part of a suit made from their skins, with the heads left attached as decoration. Nearly half of the bird bones found in graves at this site were of the great auk, suggesting that it had great cultural significance for the Maritime Archaic people. The extinct Beothuks of Newfoundland made pudding out of

2064-666: The Orkney Islands , St. Kilda off Scotland, Grimsey Island , Eldey Island , Geirfuglasker near Iceland, Funk Island near Newfoundland , and the Bird Rocks (Rochers-aux-Oiseaux) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence . Records suggest that this species may have bred on Cape Cod in Massachusetts . By the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the breeding range of the great auk was restricted to Funk Island, Grimsey Island, Eldey Island,

2150-435: The attention of fish. A study showed that the reason fish react to different colors of lures is due to their ability of see infrared rays being reflected off of lures. Companies have taken information like this into consideration so that they can make their lures in a way that maximizes efficiency. Groundbaits are fishing baits that are thrown into the water as an "appetizer" in order to olfactorily attract more fish to

2236-451: The environment have been brought up. One of these concerns comes from the lost or carelessly discarded lures left in the environment, as these tackles are made of materials that typically do not biodegrade easily. The littering of lines and lures, intentional or not, can cause potential harm to the ecosystem, especially to water birds , reptiles and semiaquatic mammals who can mistakenly strike at abandoned lures and get entangled by

2322-575: The orca , and white-tailed eagles . Polar bears preyed on nesting colonies of the great auk. Based on observations by the Naturalist Otto Fabricius (the only scientist to make primary observations on the great auk), some auks were "stupid and tame" whilst others were difficult to approach which he suggested was related to the bird's age. Humans preyed upon them as food, for feathers, and as specimens for museums and private collections. Great auks reacted to noises but were rarely frightened by

2408-637: The British Isles in Europe. For their nesting colonies the great auks required rocky islands with sloping shorelines that provided access to the sea. These were very limiting requirements and it is believed that the great auk never had more than 20 breeding colonies. The nesting sites also needed to be close to rich feeding areas and to be far enough from the mainland to discourage visitation by predators such as humans and polar bears . The localities of only seven former breeding colonies are known: Papa Westray in

2494-531: The Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the St. Kilda islands. Funk Island was the largest known breeding colony. After the chicks fledged, the great auk migrated north and south away from the breeding colonies and they tended to go southward during late autumn and winter. The great auk was never observed and described by modern scientists during its existence and is only known from the accounts of laymen, such as sailors, so its behaviour

2580-452: The Pliocene, the great auk took over its territory. The great auk was not related closely to the other extinct genera of flightless alcids, Mancalla , Praemancalla , and Alcodes . The great auk was one of the 4,400 animal species formally described by Carl Linnaeus in his eighteenth-century work Systema Naturae , in which it was given the binomial Alca impennis . The name Alca

2666-564: The bait is applied, especially in areas of more stagnant backwaters . A 1987 Welsh study had shown that after cereal or maggot groundbaiting over a 12-week period, nearly all benthic invertebrate taxa except the tubificid Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri were reduced in density, especially the naidid worms and cladocerans , and the recovery was not apparent after 4 months, although cyclopoid copepods were significantly more abundant in treated areas. Laboratory experiments determine that biochemical oxygen demand can be increased 100-fold by

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2752-407: The base of cliffs in colonies, likely where they copulated. Mated pairs had a social display in which they bobbed their heads and displayed their white eye patch, bill markings, and yellow mouth. These colonies were extremely crowded and dense, with some estimates stating that there was a nesting great auk for every 1 square metre (11 sq ft) of land. These colonies were very social. When

2838-460: The bird had been slaughtered systematically until then: If you come for their Feathers you do not give yourself the trouble of killing them, but lay hold of one and pluck the best of the Feathers. You then turn the poor Penguin adrift, with his skin half naked and torn off, to perish at his leisure. This is not a very humane method but it is the common practice. While you abide on this island you are in

2924-478: The coastlines of Canada, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Ireland, and Great Britain. The bird was 75 to 85 centimetres (30 to 33 inches) tall and weighed about 5 kilograms (11 pounds), making it the largest alcid to survive into the modern era, and the second-largest member of the alcid family overall (the prehistoric Miomancalla was larger). It had a black back and a white belly. The black beak

3010-591: The cold North Atlantic coastal waters along the coasts of Canada, the northeastern United States, Norway, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands , Ireland, Great Britain, France, and the Iberian Peninsula . Pleistocene fossils indicate the great auk also inhabited Southern France , Italy , and other coasts of the Mediterranean basin. It was common on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland . In recorded history,

3096-419: The colonies included other species of alcid, the great auks were dominant due to their size. Female great auks would lay only one egg each year, between late May and early June, although they could lay a replacement egg if the first one was lost. In years when there was a shortage of food, the great auks did not breed. A single egg was laid on bare ground up to 100 metres (330 ft) from shore. The egg

3182-406: The constant practice of horrid cruelties for you not only skin them Alive, but you burn them Alive also to cook their Bodies with. You take a kettle with you into which you put a Penguin or two, you kindle a fire under it, and this fire is made of the unfortunate Penguins themselves. Their bodies being oily soon produce a Flame; there is no wood on the island. With its increasing rarity, specimens of

3268-706: The eastern Atlantic, the southernmost records of this species are two isolated bones, one from Madeira and another from the Neolithic site of El Harhoura 2 in Morocco . The great auk left the North Atlantic waters for land only to breed, even roosting at sea when not breeding. The rookeries of the great auk were found from Baffin Bay to the Gulf of St. Lawrence , across the far northern Atlantic, including Iceland, and in Norway and

3354-462: The eggs of the great auk. The Dorset Eskimos also hunted it. The Saqqaq in Greenland overhunted the species, causing a local reduction in range. Later, European sailors used the great auks as a navigational beacon, as the presence of these birds signaled that the Grand Banks of Newfoundland were near. This species is estimated to have had a maximum population in the millions. The great auk

3440-497: The eggs without embryos and typically, discarded the eggs with embryos growing inside of them. On the islet of Stac an Armin , St. Kilda, Scotland , in July 1840, the last great auk seen in Britain was caught and killed. Three men from St. Kilda caught a single "garefowl", noticing its little wings and the large white spot on its head. They tied it up and kept it alive for three days until

3526-491: The environment. The natural bait angler, with few exceptions, will use a common prey species of the fish as an attractant. The natural bait used may be alive or dead. Common natural baits include worms , leeches (notably bait-leech Nephelopsis obscura ), minnows , frogs , salamanders , and insects . Natural baits are effective due to the lifelike texture, odor and color of the bait presented. Studies show that natural baits like croaker and shrimp are more recognized by

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3612-559: The etymology is debated, the generic name "penguin" may be derived from the Welsh pen gwyn "white head", either because the birds lived in New Brunswick on White Head Island (Pen Gwyn in Welsh) or because the great auk had such large white circles on its head. When European explorers discovered what today are known as penguins in the Southern Hemisphere, they noticed their similar appearance to

3698-440: The fish and are more readily accepted. Live bait being used to catch native species is a sustainable and desirable activity in a social and economical aspect, although it is subjected to local regulations which may restrict usage due to ecological and ethical concerns. The availability of live bait and cost factor can inhibit the use of natural baits year round. Anglers can get various live baits from tackle shops at

3784-453: The fish's gut and cause digestive tract complications. Many materials used in the manufacturing of lures, such as lead (ubiquitous in jigheads and bottom rigs ), plastics and paint , can degrade after prolonged exposure to the elements and release harmful toxic heavy metals , volatile organic compounds and microplastics that are either hazardous to the planktons and other small basal organisms, or get concentrated through

3870-660: The fish's normal diet (e.g. nightcrawlers , insects , crustaceans and smaller bait fish ), and such baits are both procured from and used within the same environment. Artificial baits, conversely, are not naturally acquired and must involve some kind of production process. These can be processed foods (e.g. bread , cheese , dough , cutlets , fish food or pet food pellets, etc.), commercially made mixtures (e.g. boilies ), and imitative replica " fake foods " made of inedible materials known as lures (e.g plastic worm , swimbaits , spoons , stickbaits , hybrid spinners or even bionic robot fish ). The variety of baits that

3956-571: The great auk also were carved into the walls of the El Pendo Cave in Camargo, Spain , and Paglicci , Italy, more than 35,000 years ago, and cave paintings 20,000 years old have been found in France's Grotte Cosquer . Native Americans valued the great auk as a food source during the winter and as an important cultural symbol. Images of the great auk have been found in bone necklaces. A person buried at

4042-431: The great auk and its eggs became collectible and highly prized by rich Europeans, and the loss of a large number of its eggs to collection contributed to the demise of the species. Eggers, individuals who visited the nesting sites of the great auk to collect their eggs, quickly realized that the birds did not all lay their eggs on the same day, so they could make return visits to the same breeding colony. Eggers only collected

4128-406: The great auk and named them after this bird, although biologically, they are not closely related. Whalers also lumped the northern and southern birds together under the common name "woggins". Standing about 75 to 85 centimetres (30 to 33 in) tall and weighing approximately 5 kilograms (11 lb) as adult birds, the flightless great auk was the second-largest member of both its family and

4214-431: The great auk are believed to have eaten plankton and, possibly, fish and crustaceans regurgitated by adults. Historical descriptions of the great auk breeding behaviour are somewhat unreliable. Great Auks began pairing in early and mid-May. They are believed to have mated for life (although some theorize that great auks could have mated outside their pair, a trait seen in the razorbill). Once paired, they nested at

4300-468: The great auk typically did not go farther south than Massachusetts Bay in the winter. Great auk bones have been found as far south as Florida , where it may have been present during four periods: approximately 1000 BC and 1000 AD, as well as during the fifteenth century and the seventeenth century. It has been suggested that some of the bones discovered in Florida may be the result of aboriginal trading. In

4386-406: The head was held up but the neck was drawn in. This species was capable of banking, veering, and turning underwater. The great auk was known to dive to depths of 75 m (250 ft) and it has been claimed that the species was able to dive to depths of 1 km (3,300 ft; 550 fathoms). To conserve energy, most dives were shallow. It also could hold its breath for 15 minutes, longer than

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4472-417: The journey home, and therefore, used great auks as both a convenient food source and bait for fishing. Reportedly, some of the later vessels anchored next to a colony and ran out of planks to the land. The sailors then herded hundreds of great auks onto the ships, where they were slaughtered. Some authors have questioned the reports of this hunting method and whether it was successful. Great auk eggs were also

4558-484: The latter alone is likely the primary driver of its extinction. By the mid-sixteenth century, the nesting colonies along the European side of the Atlantic were nearly all eliminated by humans killing this bird for its down, which was used to make pillows. In 1553, the great auk received its first official protection. In 1794, Great Britain banned the killing of this species for its feathers. In St. John's , those violating

4644-1363: The limitations of price and season. Other ways anglers get natural bait is through usual methods of fishing, e.g. hook and line, traps and casting nets . Once live bait has been obtained, it's important for the angler to keep it alive and fresh for it to be effective. Many anglers opt for a bait pen or small fish cages in order to store and preserve their live bait. Artificial baits are baits that are not directly acquired via natural means, but are made from other materials via some kind of artificial processing. These can be fish food that are either homemade (e.g. dried food paste ) or commercially purchased (e.g. boilies and feed pellets ). Homemade artificial baits are often prepared / processed food such as cutlets , offals , dehulled kernels (e.g. pea and corn ), dairy products ( cheese and curd ), bread or doughballs made from various ingredient mixtures (e.g. cooked rice , semolina , cornmeal , bread crumbs and fishmeal , etc.), which can be used to attract omnivorous or even herbivorous fish. In subtropical lakes such as those in Florida , panfish such as sunfish are such opportunistic feeders that they will even take out-of-the-packet pet food or even household wheat bread as bait. These bread baits are improvised readily from

4730-475: The line or injured by the lure hooks (especially barbed hooks that cannot be easily dislodged). Another concern would be towards the health of the fish, as it is not uncommon to catch fish with lost treble hooked lures lodged inside the mouth , gullet and even gills , and these fish often suffer starvation from inability to properly ingest food due to the lure obstruction. Along with that, fish will swallow discarded fishing line , which can get retained in

4816-457: The men who had killed the last birds, were interviewed by great auk specialist John Wolley , and Sigurður described the act as follows: The rocks were covered with blackbirds [ guillemots ] and there were the Geirfugles ;... They walked slowly. Jón Brandsson crept up with his arms open. The bird that Jón got went into a corner but [mine] was going to the edge of the cliff. It walked like

4902-440: The nest and land for the water, typically around the middle of July. The parents cared for their young after they fledged, and adults would be seen swimming with their young perched on their backs. Great auks matured sexually when they were four to seven years old. The great auk was a food source for Neanderthals more than 100,000 years ago, as evidenced by well-cleaned bones found by their campfires. Images believed to depict

4988-412: The order Charadriiformes overall, surpassed only by the mancalline Miomancalla . It is, however, the largest species to survive into modern times. The great auks that lived farther north averaged larger than the more southerly members of the species. Males and females were similar in plumage, although there is evidence for differences in size, particularly in the bill and femur length. The back

5074-469: The other hand, is associated with the issues of littering or loss of said lures, which typically do not biodegrade and can cause problems for the ecosystem , especially if ingested by wildlife . Many materials used to make lures, such as lead (ubiquitous in jigheads ), plastics and paint , can degrade after prolonged exposure to the elements and release harmful toxic heavy metals , volatile organic compounds and microplastics that are harmful to

5160-546: The possibility of contamination by emptying bait buckets into fishing venues and collecting or using bait improperly. The transportation of fish from one location to another can break the law and cause the introduction of fish alien to the ecosystem. There has been legislation passed within the last couple years in attempt of protecting big and small fisheries. The use of commercially refined baits, particularly groundbaits (which are typically used in significant quantities), raises concern of alteration to nutrient balance where

5246-474: The scientific journal of the American Ornithological Society was named The Auk (now Ornithology ) in honor of the bird until 2021. Analysis of mtDNA sequences has confirmed morphological and biogeographical studies suggesting that the razorbill is the closest living relative of the great auk. The great auk also was related closely to the little auk or dovekie, which underwent

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5332-463: The sight of something. They used their bills aggressively both in the dense nesting sites and when threatened or captured by humans. These birds are believed to have had a life span of approximately 20 to 25 years. During the winter, the great auk migrated south, either in pairs or in small groups, but never with the entire nesting colony. The great auk was generally an excellent swimmer, using its wings to propel itself underwater. While swimming,

5418-403: The skins and eggs of the bird. On 3 June 1844, the last two confirmed specimens were killed on Eldey , off the coast of Iceland, ending the last known breeding attempt. Later reports of roaming individuals being seen or caught are unconfirmed. A report of one great auk in 1852 is considered by some to be the last sighting of a member of the species. The great auk is mentioned in several novels, and

5504-502: The spread of fish diseases, including viral hemorrhagic septicemia , by bait fish. Because of the risk of transmitting Myxobolus cerebralis (whirling disease), trout and salmon should not be used as bait. The Non-indigenous Aquatic Nuisance Act of 1990 focuses on the effect of aquatic nuisance species. The introduction of these invasive species in various bodies of water have spread disease, killed fish, clogged water intakes, and covered beaches and boats . Anglers may increase

5590-1108: The target (although chemical attractants can occasionally be added), and instead rely on movements, color /reflections, vibration and noise to attract and "fool" predatory fish into striking. Using lures is a popular method among North American anglers, particularly for catching vision-oriented predators such as black bass , trout and pike . The lure may require a specialized presentation to impart an enticing action e.g. in fly fishing . Artificial lures are rigged with different types of hooks in order to increase catch rate. Artificial baits are manufactured to be durable and used repeatedly, unlike edible baits, which are generally single-use consumables . Some common fishing lures include: swimbaits , jerkbaits , crankbaits , surface lures (stickbaits), spoons , spinnerbaits , trout worms , frogs, etc. Artificial baits are most commonly acquired online, in-store at tackle shops, and made by hand. Different manufacturers are continuously modifying lures with new hydrodynamic designs, materials and bionic technologies to better represent and attract

5676-444: The target fish are commonly omnivorous or algivorous and might not be easily drawn to strike the hookbait. Groundbaits can be custom-made by the angler, or bulk-purchased from dedicated manufacturers. Groundbaits can differ by the sizes of the crumbs, type of ingredients, smell, colour and texture/consistency. Anglers may also mix additives to alter the groundbait's firmness in order to control its rate of release and diffusion once in

5762-498: The team showed that nutrient inputs from the use of commercial groundbaits could be compensated by sacrificing (removing) the captured fish, but if complete catch-and-release is practiced (thus no biomass is removed), the inputs of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) are about four- and three- times higher respectively than if groundbaits are not used. The popularity of artificial baits, especially lures, has increased drastically over time. With this, concerns of harm to

5848-541: The term "fishing bait" typically refers to; and groundbaits , which are scattered separately into the water as an " appetizer " to attract the fish nearer to the hook. Despite the bait's sole importance is to provoke a feeding response out of the target fish, the way how fish react to different baits is quite poorly understood. Fishing baits can be grouped into two broad categories: natural baits and artificial baits. Traditionally, fishing baits are natural food or prey items (live or dead) that are already present in

5934-406: The top; the bill also had deep white grooves in both the upper and lower mandibles, up to seven on the upper mandible and twelve on the lower mandible in summer, although there were fewer in winter. The wings were only 15 cm (6 in) in length and the longest wing feathers were only 10 cm (4 in) long. Its feet and short claws were black, while the webbed skin between the toes

6020-450: The vast colony. The pair took turns incubating the egg in an upright position for the 39 to 44 days before the egg hatched, typically in June, although eggs could be present at the colonies as late as August. The parents also took turns feeding their chicks. According to one account, the chick was covered with grey down. The young bird took only two or three weeks to mature enough to abandon

6106-414: The water, it was clumsy on land. Great auk pairs mated for life. They nested in extremely dense and social colonies, laying one egg on bare rock. The egg was white with variable brown marbling. Both parents participated in the incubation of the egg for around six weeks before the young hatched. The young left the nest site after two to three weeks, although the parents continued to care for it. The great auk

6192-603: The water. Groundbaits are also used frequently in blue water fishing , known as " chums ", which usually consist of freshly cut up parts of a slaughtered fish often mixed with fresh blood and offals , in order to attract large hypercarnivorous fishes such as sharks either directly via the smell , or indirectly by drawing opportunistic forage fish that are prey to the predatory fishes. The capture, transportation , and culture of bait fish can spread damaging organisms between ecosystems , endangering them. In 2007, several American states enacted regulations designed to slow

6278-797: The weight of evidence suggests placing the great auk in a distinct genus. Some ornithologists still believe it is more appropriate to retain the species in the genus Alca . It is the only recorded British bird made extinct in historic times. The following cladogram shows the placement of the great auk among its closest relatives, based on a 2004 genetic study: Alle alle (little auk) Uria aalge (common murre) Uria lomvia (thick-billed murre) Alca torda (razorbill) Pinguinus impennis ( great auk ) Brachyramphus marmoratus (marbled murrelet) Brachyramphus brevirostris (Kittlitz's murrelet) Cepphus grylle (black guillemot) Cepphus columba (pigeon guillemot) Cepphus carbo (spectacled guillemot) Pinguinus alfrednewtoni

6364-409: Was apponatz , while modern French uses grand pingouin . The Norse called the great auk geirfugl , which means "spearbird". This has led to an alternative English common name for the bird, garefowl or gairfowl . The Inuit name for the great auk was isarukitsok , which meant "little wing". The word "penguin" first appears in the sixteenth century as a synonym for "great auk". Although

6450-400: Was 1,000 points (5th/6th grade) or 2,000 points (middle school and up), attainable by answering every question correctly on the first try and in less than 7 seconds each. Teams could take up to three 5-minute breaks during the contest. They could use pencil and paper, but no other resources such as calculators or reference books, and assistance from coaches or spectators was not allowed. Once

6536-655: Was a larger, and also flightless, member of the genus Pinguinus that lived during the Early Pliocene . Known from bones found in the Yorktown Formation of the Lee Creek Mine in North Carolina , it is believed to have split, along with the great auk, from a common ancestor. Pinguinus alfrednewtoni lived in the western Atlantic, while the great auk lived in the eastern Atlantic. After the former died out following

6622-407: Was accessible from a single side. When the colony initially was discovered in 1835, nearly fifty birds were present. Museums, desiring the skins of the great auk for preservation and display, quickly began collecting birds from the colony. The last pair, found incubating an egg, was killed there on 3 June 1844, on request from a merchant who wanted specimens. Jón Brandsson and Sigurður Ísleifsson,

6708-523: Was an important part of many Native American cultures, both as a food source and as a symbolic item. Many Maritime Archaic people were buried with great auk bones. One burial discovered included someone covered by more than 200 great auk beaks, which are presumed to be the remnants of a cloak made of great auks' skins. Early European explorers to the Americas used the great auk as a convenient food source or as fishing bait , reducing its numbers. The bird's down

6794-409: Was brownish black. The legs were far back on the bird's body, which gave it powerful swimming and diving abilities. Hatchlings were described as grey and downy, but their exact appearance is unknown since no skins exist today. Juvenile birds had fewer prominent grooves in their beaks than adults and they had mottled white and black necks, while the eye spot found in adults was not present; instead,

6880-574: Was fish, usually 12 to 20 cm ( 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 8 in) in length and weighing 40 to 50 g ( 1 + 3 ⁄ 8 to 1 + 3 ⁄ 4  oz), but occasionally their prey was up to half the bird's length. Based on remains associated with great auk bones found on Funk Island and on ecological and morphological considerations, it seems that Atlantic menhaden and capelin were their favoured prey. Other fish suggested as potential prey include lumpsuckers , shorthorn sculpins , cod , sand lance , as well as crustaceans. The young of

6966-501: Was heavy and hooked, with grooves on its surface. During summer, great auk plumage showed a white patch over each eye. During winter, the great auk lost these patches, instead developing a white band stretching between the eyes. The wings were only 15 cm (6 in) long, rendering the bird flightless. Instead, the great auk was a powerful swimmer, a trait that it used in hunting. Its favourite prey were fish, including Atlantic menhaden and capelin , and crustaceans . Although agile in

7052-526: Was hunted on a significant scale for food, eggs, and its down feathers from at least the eighth century. Prior to that, hunting by local natives may be documented from Late Stone Age Scandinavia and eastern North America, as well as from early fifth century Labrador , where the bird seems to have occurred only as stragglers. Early explorers, including Jacques Cartier , and numerous ships attempting to find gold on Baffin Island were not provisioned with food for

7138-430: Was in high demand in Europe, a factor that largely eliminated the European populations by the mid-16th century. Around the same time, nations such as Great Britain began to realize that the great auk was disappearing and it became the beneficiary of many early environmental laws, but despite that, the great auk were still hunted. Its growing rarity increased interest from European museums and private collectors in obtaining

7224-432: Was ovate and elongate in shape, and it averaged 12.4 cm ( 4 + 7 ⁄ 8  in) in length and 7.6 cm (3 in) across at the widest point. The egg was yellowish white to light ochre with a varying pattern of black, brown, or greyish spots and lines that often were congregated on the large end. It is believed that the variation in the egg streaks enabled the parents to recognize their egg among those in

7310-445: Was primarily a glossy black, and the belly was white. The neck and legs were short, and the head and wings were small. During summer, it developed a wide white eye patch over each eye, which had a hazel or chestnut iris. Auks are known for their close resemblance to penguins, their webbed feet and countershading are a result of convergent evolution in the water. During winter the great auk moulted and lost this eye patch, which

7396-480: Was replaced with a wide white band and a gray line of feathers that stretched from the eye to the ear. During the summer, its chin and throat were blackish-brown and the inside of the mouth was yellow. In winter, the throat became white. Some individuals reportedly had grey plumage on their flanks, but the purpose, seasonal duration, and frequency of this variation is unknown. The bill was large at 11 cm ( 4 + 1 ⁄ 2  in) long and curved downward at

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