These feathers not only played an essential role in regulating the bird’s body temperature but also served as a form of camouflage in its natural environment. The dodo’s appearance was further characterized by its brownish-grey feathers, which covered its entire body except for its legs, beak, and the area around its eyes. The birds also had small, almost vestigial wings that could not support flight. This powerful beak was likely used for cracking open tough food items like seeds and fruit. The dodo’s most distinctive feature was its large, hooked beak. The bird stood up to 27 inches (70 centimeters) tall and weighed between 28 and 45 pounds (13 to 20 kilograms). It had a robust body and strong legs, which supported its heavy frame. The dodo was a large, flightless bird that inhabited the island of Mauritius. Physical Characteristics Size of the Dodo Bird ![]() Today, the dodo bird serves as a vivid reminder of the need for conservation efforts and responsible management of ecosystems to protect our planet’s incredible biodiversity. Unfortunately, the dodo bird’s extinction happened within less than a century of its discovery, deeply illustrating the consequences of human involvement in the disappearance of entire species. This left them especially vulnerable to the new threats that arrived with human colonization of the island. While the dodo bird has become an iconic symbol of human-caused extinction, it is important to remember that it was not always flightless.ĭodo birds are relatives of pigeons and possibly evolved to become flightless due to a lack of natural predators in Mauritius. The introduction of foreign animals, such as pigs and rats, by the Dutch East India Company significantly impacted the dodo bird population as these invasive species destroyed their nests and consumed their eggs. However, the dodo bird wasn’t the only factor contributing to their extinction. It is believed that these unique birds were not used to the presence of humans, which is why they displayed such a friendly and unassuming demeanor when encountered by explorers.Īlthough the dodo bird was abundant in Mauritius at the time of its discovery, its population quickly dwindled as a result of various factors.ĭutch sailors and traders hunted the dodo bird for its meat, which was considered a valuable food source for long voyages. The dodo bird was characterized by its large size, chubby appearance, and docile behavior. The dodo bird was a flightless bird that once lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.Īrab explorers first discovered it in the 10th century, and its existence became more widely known after the arrival of the Dutch East India Company in the late 1500s.
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