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A new study by researchers from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and others has challenged the idea that the dodo was a slow and clumsy bird.
The study found evidence that dodos and its sister species, the solitaire, were actually fast-moving, well-adapted forest birds.
Dodo
Dodo belonged to the family (Columbidae) of doves and pigeons
Characteristics : It had grayish feathers and a distinctive large, hooked beak
Habitat : Endemic to the island of Mauritius and lived in forests
Evolutionary History:
It evolved to be flightless due to the absence of predators on Mauritius.
The dodo likely had strong running abilities.
Extinct in 1681.
Dodos nested on the ground and had little fear of humans, making them easy targets for hunters.
Dodos went extinct primarily due to human activity and the introduction of non-native species like pigs, rats, and cats, which preyed on their eggs and chicks
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