The wings were too small to support sustained flight, but they weren’t entirely useless. Many of the differences between this ancient bird and its living relatives can be attributed to its flightlessness.Īlthough flightless, the Dodo still had small, vestigial wings. Pigeons and doves are the closest living relatives of the Dodo. Male Dodos were larger, with proportionally longer beaks compared to females. There would have been size variations between individual birds. Gage Beasley Prehistoric’s Dodo Size Comparison Chart One thing that’s clear is that the Dodo was a large bird.Īdult Dodos stood at a height of about three feet (one meter) and may have weighed between 20 and 23 kilograms (44–51 pounds)-about the same size as a large turkey. There is still some controversy over how plump this bird was. Their weight may have varied during different seasons as well.ĭodos were probably fatter during cool seasons and less robust when the weather turned hot. If any of them were fat at all, it was probably the Dodos kept in captivity rather than the wild ones. Hume via Nature Communications ( CC BY 4.0) Modern life restoration of a slim dodo, by Julian P. They probably had a more upright posture with a slimmer ribcage than previously thought. However, recent studies now suggest that the Dodos were probably not as fat as they have been made to look in most historical illustrations. Since no complete specimen of this bird has been found so far, not a lot is known about its actual external appearance. It had relatively short, stumpy legs, which were not well-suited for running or flight. In most illustrations, it is drawn with a fat round body similar to a big swan, a small naked head, and a long beak. The Dodo was a stout, muscular bird often depicted with an almost comedic appearance. Gage Beasley’s Prehistoric Shirt Collection Gage Beasley’s Prehistoric Plush Collection Physical Characteristics Extinct Dodo Bird from out-of-copyright 1898 book “Blackie’s Modern Cyclopedia of Universal Information” | Thomas Faull via Getty Images In this article, we’ll explore some of the fascinating facts we have learned so far about the physical characteristics, habitat, diet, and relationships with other animals in its ecosystem. The life of the Dodo is a lesson on evolution and extinction. Like fabled mythical creatures, the Dodo bird is one extinct animal that we surprisingly know very little about, despite being alive until relatively recently. No complete specimen of this bird has been found preserved, so all we have to go by are sketches, paintings, and written accounts dating back to the 17th century, many of which are questionable.Įven the origin of the bird’s name is unclear. While there are abundant records of the Dodo’s existence and numerous tales about its demise, very little is known about the bird’s actual appearance. The Dodo’s extinction has been attributed to a wide range of factors, including hunting by humans, habitat destruction, and the introduction of invasive species that upset the balance of the Island’s ecosystem. Less than a century later, the bird was gone.Īccording to some accounts, the last Dodo bird died off in 1681. When Dutch settlers arrived on the island in the 16th century, they met a healthy population of Dodo birds on the island. Unlike other extinct animals whose disappearance happened millions or thousands of years ago, the Dodo was alive until relatively recently. Predators were absent, and with an abundance of food, the Dodo evolved into a much larger size and eventually lost the ability to fly. The Dodo ( Raphus cucullatus) was a flightless bird native to the Island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.Ī distant relative of pigeons and doves, the Dodo and several other bird species lived undisturbed in Mauritius for several million years. Leave a comment / By: Jerry Young / Updated on: 24th September 2023 Nameĭodo Pictures The Dodo | CoreyFord via Getty Images The Dodo Gage Beasley’s Dodo Stuffed Plush Toy
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