The Last of the Great Auks: Oral History and Ritual Killings at St Kilda

Historical accounts of the great auk's extinction suggest that two individuals were ritually killed at St Kilda, one on Hirta and another on Stac an Armin, likely between 1840-1850. This study evaluates three conflicting narratives from a deeply Christian community, concluding that ritual avicide was practiced during a period of social upheaval following the Disruption of 1843, when the island's minister left. The research combines oral history analysis with historical context to argue for the plausibility of two killings rather than one, while also noting a potential sighting in 1890.

Fleming, A. (2024). The Last of the Great Auks: Oral History and Ritual Killings at St Kilda. Scottish Studies, 40, 29–40. https://doi.org/10.2218/ss.v40.9286