Scientists are learning more about the dodo’s hidden sensory world thanks to rare skull specimens and digital imaging, according to ScienceDaily. The research was led by the University of Lethbridge in Canada and involved one of only two complete dodo skulls known to exist.
The study used high-resolution CT scans to create detailed 3D models of the skulls without damaging them. Researchers then examined the brain cavity and the bone impressions left behind to compare the dodo with modern pigeons and doves, its closest living relatives.
According to the researchers, the results suggest the dodo may have had a more flexible daily routine than previously thought, possibly being active around dawn and dusk as well as during the day. The skull also points to a stronger sense of smell and a large upper beak that may have helped the bird gather touch information from its surroundings.
The team says the findings do not prove exact behavior, but they do provide new evidence about how the extinct bird may have found food and moved through its island habitat on Mauritius. Researchers also say the study does not support the old stereotype that the dodo was simply dull or poorly adapted.
