Dodos probably weren't as stupid as historians made them out to be: new research

New research suggests that the dodo, once thought to be a foolish and unintelligent bird, may have possessed cognitive abilities comparable to modern pigeons. The dodo, a flightless bird native to Mauritius, went extinct within three decades of human arrival. Historically, it has been depicted as naive prey that was easily hunted by sailors.

However, this portrayal has been challenged by a new study that analyzed the dodo's brain structure. Using high-resolution CT scans of three dodo skulls, scientists found that the dodo's forebrain, responsible for cognition and memory, was proportionate to other pigeons. This indicates that the dodo was not less intelligent than its living relatives.

The study also highlights that the dodo's unusual small optic lobes suggest adaptation to low-light vision and possible crepuscular or nocturnal behavior. This adaptation could have been driven by competition for food resources with giant tortoises on the island, as the dodo may have shifted its activity to dawn, dusk, or nighttime to avoid predation.