Dodo
Extinct flightless bird endemic to Mauritius, symbol of human-caused extinction.
The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to Mauritius, an island east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Its closest relative was the also-extinct and flightless Rodrigues solitaire, and together they form the subtribe Raphina, a clade within the family Columbidae, which includes pigeons and doves.
- scientific_name
- Raphus cucullatus
- status
- Extinct
- height
- 62.6–75 cm (2.05–2.46 ft)
- weight
- 10.6–17.5 kg (23–39 lb)
- closest_living_relative
- Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica)
- known_for
- Flightlessness, extinction within a century of discovery, symbol of obsolescence
Lore & Background
Subfossil remains indicate it stood about 62.6–75 cm tall and weighed 10.6–17.5 kg in the wild. Its appearance is known only from 17th-century drawings, paintings, and written accounts, which vary considerably, leaving its exact appearance unresolved. It is depicted with brownish-grey plumage, yellow feet, a tuft of tail feathers, a grey naked head, and a black, yellow, and green beak. It used gizzard stones to digest food, likely including fruits, and its main habitat is believed to have been woods in drier coastal areas of Mauritius. One account states its clutch consisted of a single egg. The dodo is thought to have become flightless due to abundant food and a relative absence of predators on Mauritius.
Reader's Guide
The dodo's extinction less than a century after its discovery called attention to the previously unrecognized problem of human involvement in the disappearance of entire species. Its extinction was not immediately noticed, and some considered the bird a myth. In the 19th century, research on four specimens brought to Europe in the early 17th century, including a dried head (the only soft tissue remaining), helped clarify its taxonomy. The dodo achieved widespread recognition from its role in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and has since become a fixture in popular culture as a symbol of extinction and obsolescence.
Did You Know?
- The dodo's closest living relative is the Nicobar pigeon.
- The only remaining soft tissue of a dodo is a dried head brought to Europe in the early 17th century.
- A white dodo was once thought to exist on Réunion, but this is now believed to be confusion with the extinct Réunion ibis.
- The dodo used gizzard stones to help digest its food, which is thought to have included fruits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a dodo?
The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) was a large, flightless pigeon-like bird that existed only on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Standing roughly 60–75 cm tall and weighing up to about 17 kg, it had no natural predators before humans arrived.
Where did dodos live?
They were completely endemic to Mauritius, a single island sitting east of Madagascar. No wild dodo was ever recorded on any other landmass, which made the species extremely vulnerable to outside threats.
Why couldn't dodos fly?
Having evolved on an island with no ground predators, dodos lost the need for flight over many generations and their wings became too small to support their heavy bodies. This trait is shared by their close relative, the Rodrigues solitaire, and by many other island birds.
What caused the dodo's extinction?
After Dutch sailors first encountered the bird around 1598, dodos were hunted for food and driven out by introduced animals like pigs, dogs, and rats that destroyed their ground nests. The entire population vanished within roughly a century of that first contact.
What is the dodo's closest living relative?
The Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica), a flighted species found across parts of the Indian Ocean, is the nearest extant cousin of the dodo. Both belong to the family Columbidae, the pigeon-and-dove family.
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