Nature & Environment

August 7, 2026

Image: Dodos at the Natural History Museum in London
Credit: Txllxt TxllxT / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted)

A new analysis of the bird's brain has revealed that the phrase 'dumb as a dodo' is likely completely baselesss.

This iconic flightless bird, which once inhabited the island of Mauritius, is perhaps the best known example of a species hunted to extinction by man - a creature that has since become synonymous with the idea that our activities on this planet can have dire consequences for other species.

The first reported encounter with a dodo was by Dutch sailors in 1598 and by 1662 the species had been completely wiped out due to hunting and the destruction of its habitat.

The idea that dodos were particularly stupid - an idea popularized by the phrase "dumb as a dodo" - came from the fact that, when it was discovered, it had no fear of humans and was easy to catch.

Now, though, a new study headed up by an international team of scientists has determined that this phrase may be as unfair as it is inaccurate.

By creating high-resolution CT scans of the only three complete dodo skulls known to exist, the team was able to put together a detailed model of the bird's brain.

What they found was that the dodo was most likely no less intelligent than the modern pigeon (to which it was related) - a species known for its keen navigational skills.

The reason the dodo did not flee from humans was simply because it had never encountered them before and had not developed an innate fear of them.

Sadly, the speed of its demise was so great that it never really got the chance to adapt.

Source: The Conversation

Tags: Dodo