When Dutch explorers arrived on the island of Mauritius in 1598, they met a large bird that could not fly. This bird was not afraid of the new human visitors and would come close to them. Sadly, these birds were easy to catch, and they disappeared completely within 100 years.
For a long time, people thought the dodo was a very foolish bird because it was not wary of humans. However, a new study in 2026 shows this idea is not correct.
An international team of scientists, led by the University of Lethbridge in Canada, studied the dodo's brain. They used special X-ray technology called CT scanning to create 3D computer models of the inside of the dodo's head. This technology did not harm the rare skulls they used. Several museums, including the Natural History Museum Denmark and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, shared their specimens.
The models showed that the dodo's brain had the same proportions as related pigeon species. The part of the brain used for learning and memory was normal. "There is no evidence that the dodo was any less intelligent than its relatives," said Associate Professor Andrew Iwaniuk. He explained that the dodo's brain size was expected for its body, and pigeons are known to be quite smart.
The scans also revealed that the dodo had large eyes but smaller areas for processing vision. Professor Vera Weisbecker explained that this is common in birds active in the dark. This suggests the dodo was likely active at night or during twilight. It might have used its strong sense of smell to find food in low light.
Scientists believe the dodo's extinction was not due to a lack of intelligence. It lived on an island without predators and never needed to fear anything. When humans arrived, they brought animals like rats and pigs that hunted the dodos. The dodo was a unique bird that was well-adapted to its home, but it was destroyed by humans and introduced predators.