Only two complete dodo skulls are known to exist worldwide, according to the Natural History Museum Denmark and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, providing modern scientists with rare raw data to reconstruct how the extinct bird actually perceived its environment. According to researchers at the University of Lethbridge and the Natural History Museum Denmark, high-resolution CT scans of these specimens have unlocked new digital details regarding the dodo’s brain structure, daily routines, and sensory biology before its extinction in the late 17th century.
CT Scans Uncover the Hidden Anatomy of Rare Dodo Skulls
Preparations for a new permanent museum building scheduled to open in 2027 at the Natural History Museum Denmark allowed researchers to examine their rare dodo skull using high-resolution CT imaging, according to museum curators. This non-destructive digital approach produced a detailed three-dimensional model of the skull’s interior, capturing exact impressions left by the brain on the surrounding bone.
By combining CT data from both the Copenhagen specimen and the Oxford University Museum of Natural History specimen—alongside a third partial skull—researchers established a direct baseline for the species. “Studying extinct animals is a bit like detective work,” said Christy Anna Hipsley, Associate Professor at the Natural History Museum Denmark and co-author of the study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. “By digitally reconstructing those spaces and comparing them with the brains of living birds, we can begin to piece together how the dodo sensed, behaved, and interacted with the world around it.”
Sensory Clues Reveal a More Flexible Daily Schedule
Digital brain cavity reconstructions indicate that the dodo’s sensory experience differed notably from modern pigeons and doves, which serve as its closest living relatives. According to the study findings, skull anatomy suggests the dodo may not have relied solely on daytime activity, potentially foraging around dawn and dusk.
“The dodo is one of the world’s most recognizable extinct animals, yet surprisingly little is known about how it actually lived,” said Peter Andrew Hosner, Associate Professor and Curator of Birds at the Natural History Museum Denmark and co-author of the research. “Having access to one of only two complete dodo skulls has given us a unique opportunity to compare the dodo with its closest living relatives and gain new insights into how it experienced and interacted with its environment.”
Did you know?
The dodo lived on the island of Mauritius before becoming extinct in the late 17th century. Despite its pop-culture reputation for clumsiness, modern anatomical scans show no evidence of reduced cognitive abilities compared to living doves.
Smell, Touch, and Foraging Adaptations on Mauritius
Anatomical comparisons point to a stronger sense of smell than modern pigeons possess, paired with a large upper beak optimized for gathering tactile information. According to the research team, these physical traits aided the bird in locating food resources across its isolated island habitat.
“The dodo’s skull is unlike that of any living bird, which makes it both fascinating and difficult to interpret,” Hipsley stated. While anatomy alone cannot fully define extinct animal behavior, the integration of multi-specimen CT data replaces centuries of speculation with empirical baseline evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complete dodo skulls exist in the world?
Only two complete dodo skulls are known to exist globally: one housed at the Natural History Museum Denmark and the other at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
What did the new CT scan research reveal about the dodo?
According to researchers at the Natural History Museum Denmark, digital brain reconstructions indicate the dodo may have had a stronger sense of smell, enhanced tactile touch reception in its upper beak, and a more flexible daily schedule extending into dawn and dusk.
Are dodos closely related to modern birds?
Yes. Anatomical comparisons confirm that the dodo’s closest living relatives are pigeons and doves.
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