Nocturnal dodo? Study suggests we were very wrong about Mauritius' iconic flightless bird

New research suggests the famous flightless dodo was a smart bird that may have been active at night. Traditionally depicted as stupid and clumsy, scientists scanning dodo skulls found no evidence to support these portrayals. The part of the dodo's brain responsible for visual processing was smaller than expected, comparable to that of some nocturnal birds, indicating the species relied less on sight.

The dodo went extinct within a century of human settlement in Mauritius in 1598, with invasive species like dogs, cats, pigs, and rats likely contributing to its demise. This study, published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, challenges the long-standing stereotype of the dodo as an unintelligent creature and highlights the importance of understanding the full extent of its behavior and ecological niche.