Dodo
The dodo, known scientifically as Raphus cucullatus, is an extinct flying bird that was only found on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It was related to pigeons and doves, and it went extinct during the 17th century.
History
The dodo bird was first recorded in Western literature during the 16th century. Dutch sailors called the dodo bird the wahlghvogel, which may translate to "wallow bird" or "loathsome bird." The name dodo may have come from the Dutch word "dodaars" meaning "knot arse," in reference to the knot of feathers on the bird's rump.
Features
Due to a lack of intact dodo skeletons available, the average height and weight of the bird are unclear. The dodo bird may have weighed between 44 and 50 lbs. or it may have been lighter. It was gray in color. It had a knot or lump of white feathers on its rump, and it also had a large hooked beak. The dodo was a flightless bird, with small weak wings.
Extinction
They built their nests on the ground. Though this was not a problem on an island where they had no natural predators, it put them at risk when humans showed up. Sailors left dogs and pigs on the island that found the eggs and the birds themselves to be easy prey. Similarly, cats and monkeys were also introduced to the island and began to prey on the birds as well.
Environmental Role
The dodo may have played an important part in the propagation of the calavaria tree, which is also known as the dodo tree. The tree produced fruit which would be digested, leaving the seed to be expelled by the dodo bird. The process was integral to allowing the seeds to develop. Though seeds can develop without this process, it is very rare for them to do so. It has been found that turkeys may be able to perform a similar function for the calavaria tree.
Diet
The diet of the dodo bird is unknown, but there is speculation based on the accounts of the sailors who saw them. They ate fruit, and they may also have eaten fish, as sailors talk about them diving into water pools to hunt small fish. Some sailors remarked that they also ate stones, which might have been used to help them digest their food.
Tags: dodo bird, calavaria tree, dodo have, have been, seeds develop, they also
