Dodo

Raphus cucullatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Dodo, Raphus cucullatus, was an extinct bird of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, within the Columbidae family. It was a flightless member of the pigeon and dove group, and its breeding range was on Mauritius, part of the Mascarenes. Its closest living relative is the Nicobar pigeon. The bird is known from drawings, paintings and written descriptions, and its exact look is still uncertain. Records place it in the wooded coastal parts of the island, and one account says it laid a single egg. It disappeared in 1662 after hunting, introduced animals and habitat loss.

Order

Columbiformes

Family

Columbidae — Pigeons, Doves

Breeding range

Indian Ocean: Mauritius (c Mascarenes)