The dodo gets a makeover

July 24, 2020

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A picture of the extinct, flightless bird that has inspired artists and tall tales for centuries is slowly coming into sharper relief. Modern scientific tools and newly discovered bones, in combination with historic sightings and previously studied specimens, are giving scientists new insights into the mysterious bird’s anatomy and life cycle.

Based on early mariner accounts and sketches, the bird’s image took a fantastical turn. In the 1600s, portraits of comical, squat birds became the standard for classics such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

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DNA studies reveal the dodo was a type of pigeon related to the Rodrigues solitaire and Southeast Asian Nicobar pigeon.

Brain proportions suggest that dodoes, long considered dumb, were as smart as pigeons.

Recent discoveries help explain how the dodo had adapted to its cyclone-prone environment. Then in the 16th century, Europeans, rats, and pigs arrived on the island and drove dodoes to extinction.

Nests were built on the ground, per firsthand accounts; eggs' characteristics and aspect remain a mystery. Early depictions of the bird could have been influenced by seasons and feather cycles, with birds looking darker and thinner when molting and lighter and larger when fully feathered.