Was the Dodo Bird Really a Dodo?
Was this the extinction of a truly idiotic bird species, or have we had it all wrong?
The dodo is one of few animals extinct in recent history to make a significant impact on our culture and stay fresh in our memory. Extinct as of 1662, even centuries later they have remained popular characters in books, TV shows, and games. However, it seems that some details have been blurred by time. Many of us characterize dodos as stupid, helpless animals who died due to their sheer idiocy. But is this the full story, or should we cut these chubby flightless birds a little slack?
First, a little background on these odd birds. The dodo was endemic only to Mauritius, an island east of Madagascar. Based on fossil remains, the dodo was slightly over 3 feet tall, and may have weighed up to 39 pounds. Regardless of their exact height or weight, we are sure they were far from small birds. It’s questionable what the exact appearance of the dodo was — only some illustrations we have today were verifiably based on live specimens. However, based on these illustrations as well as preserved remains, we know that the dodo had a naked, vulture-like face and brownish-grey plumage. The dodo had also evolved to be flightless — the island of Mauritius had abundant food sources and virtually no predators, so there was little use for…
