Dodos were flightless birds that once inhabited the single island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean and are believed to have become extinct by the late 17th century. Dodos belong to the family of pigeons and doves (Columbidae) and are closely related to the pigeon species.
Dodos stood up to one meter in height. They had strong legs and feet, underdeveloped wings, and a robust, curved bill. Their plumage was grayish with a small tuft of curly feathers on their tail.
Dodos were commonly found in dense forests and coastal woodlands. They had a primarily herbivorous diet and fed on a variety of vegetation found on the island.
They foraged on forest floors and in the understory for fallen fruits, nuts, seeds, leaves, buds, and roots and likely also fed from low-lying branches. Dodos most certainly dispersed some of the seeds of the fruits they consumed throughout the island.
Breeding pairs formed strong bonds. Nests were made from leaves, twigs, and grasses on the ground in sheltered areas within forests.
Females laid a single egg, which both parents incubated. After hatching, both adults fed the chick with regurgitated food, primarily soft fruits and seeds.
Chicks learned to forage by following their parents and mimicked their feeding behaviors. As they grew, they became more adept at finding food. They would have been vulnerable to predation by introduced species like pigs and rats.
Dodos faced significant threats from human activities starting in the late 16th century when Mauritius was discovered by sailors.
Hunting for meat significantly reduced their numbers. The introduction of invasive species such as pigs, rats, and monkeys led to predation on dodo eggs and chicks.
Habitat destruction from human settlement and non-native plants further degraded their environment. These combined factors rapidly diminished the dodo population, leading to their extinction.
The last confirmed sightings was documented in 1681.
