The Dodo, a bird that has been extinct for centuries, continues to be the object of fascination and scientific study. A new article entitled “The systematics and nomenclature of the Dodo and the Solitaire (Aves: Columbidae), and an overview of columbid family-group nomina”, published on August 16, 2024, in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, provides a detailed analysis of the taxonomy and history of these iconic birds. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Southampton, the Natural History Museum (NHM) and the Oxford University Natural History Museum, who carried out a comprehensive review of the scientific literature on the Dodo and its close relative, the Rodriguez Island Solitaire, accumulated over 400 years.
“The Dodo was the first living creature that was recorded as present and then disappeared,” says Dr. Neil Gostling, from the University of Southampton, supervising author of the article. “Before that, it wasn’t imagined that human beings could influence God’s creation in this way.” The study points out that, at the time of the extinction of these birds, there were no modern scientific principles and systems that we use to classify species. “Both the Dodo and the Solitaire disappeared before we had a chance to understand what we were seeing,” adds Dr. Gostling.
The researchers point out that much of what is known about the Dodo and the Solitaire was based on accounts by Dutch sailors, artistic representations and incomplete remains. This lack of reliable information has led to misidentifications over the centuries. New species, such as the “Nazarene Dodo” and the “White Dodo”, were erroneously named, but the article confirms that these creatures never existed.
“In the 18th and early 19th centuries, the Dodo and Solitaire were considered mythological animals,” says Dr. Mark Young, lead author of the article. “It was the hard work of Victorian-era scientists that finally proved that the Dodo and Solitaire were not mythological, but giant land doves.”
However, even after this finding, the scientific community struggled to reach a consensus on how many species there were. “For most of the 19th and 20th centuries, researchers thought there were three different species, although some people thought there were four or even five different species,” continues Dr. Young. To clear up this confusion, the researchers analyzed all the available literature on the Dodo and the Rodriguez Solitaire, as well as visiting museum collections in the UK, including the only surviving soft tissue of the Dodo in the Oxford Museum.
“More has been written about the Dodo than any other bird, but virtually nothing is known about its life,” says Dr. Julian Hume, bird paleontologist at the Natural History Museum and co-author of the article. “Based on centuries of nomenclatural confusion and some 400 years after their extinction, the Dodo and Solitaire continue to provoke heated debate.” The research looked from the earliest accounts to modern theories, correcting several errors along the way.
The study confirms that both the Dodo and the Solitaire belonged to the columbidae family (pigeons and doves), and this finding has important implications both from a taxonomic point of view and for conservation. “Understanding their wider relationships with other pigeons is of taxonomic importance, but from a conservation point of view, the loss of Dodo and Solitaire a few decades later means that a unique branch of the pigeon family tree has been lost,” explains Dr. Gostling. “There is no other bird alive today like these two species of giant ground dove.”
The researchers also challenge the popular idea that the Dodo was a fat, slow animal destined for extinction. “Even four centuries later, we still have a lot to learn about these extraordinary birds,” says Dr. Young. “Was the Dodo really the dumb, slow animal we were brought up to believe it was? The few written accounts of living Dodos say that it was a fast-moving animal that loved the forest.” Dr. Gostling adds: “Evidence from bone specimens suggests that the Dodo’s tendon, which locked the toes, was exceptionally powerful, analogous to that of living birds that climb and run today. It is almost certain that the Dodo was a very active and very fast animal.”
Unfortunately, these birds were perfectly adapted to their environment, but were vulnerable due to the absence of natural predators on their islands. “These creatures were perfectly adapted to their environment, but the islands they lived on had no mammalian predators. So when humans arrived, bringing rats, cats and pigs, Dodo and Solitaire didn’t stand a chance,” says Dr. Gostling. He also suggests that understanding the ecological role of these birds could be crucial for the recovery of ecosystems in Mauritius: “Dodos occupied an integral place in their ecosystems. If we understand them, we can support the recovery of the ecosystem in Mauritius, perhaps starting to undo the damage that began with the arrival of humans almost half a millennium ago.”
The study marks the beginning of a wider project to understand the biology of these iconic birds. “The mystery of the Dodo bird is about to be unraveled,” says Dr. Markus Heller, Professor of Biomechanics at the University of Southampton and co-author of the article. “We’ve assembled a fantastic team of scientists to uncover the true nature of this famous extinct bird. But we’re not just looking back in time – our research could also help save today’s endangered birds.” Dr. Heller goes on to explain: “Using cutting-edge computer technology, we’re putting together the pieces of how the Dodo lived and moved. It’s not just about satisfying our curiosity. By understanding how birds evolved in the past, we are learning valuable lessons that can help protect today’s bird species.”
The project also includes collaboration with paleoartist Karen Fawcett, who created a detailed, life-size model of the Dodo, bringing the scientists’ words to life. She comments: “This work has been the fusion of science and art to achieve precision and realism, so that these creatures come back from the dead, real and tangible for people to touch and see.”
The Director of the University of Southampton’s Institute of Life Sciences, Professor Max Crispin, expresses his satisfaction with the project: “The Institute was delighted to support this exciting work which exemplifies Southampton’s strength in interdisciplinary research and advanced scholarship.”
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This study is a remarkable example of how interdisciplinary science can shed new light on ancient mysteries, while offering solutions to current ecological challenges. By uniting efforts between scientists, paleoartists and technology experts, the Dodo study not only rescues the memory of a lost species, but also contributes to the preservation of biodiversity in the present and future. “It’s like solving a 300-year-old puzzle, and the solution could help us prevent more birds from going the way of the Dodo,” concludes Dr. Heller.
