The dodo is an extinct flightless bird whose name has become synonymous with stupidity. But it turns out that the dodo was no birdbrain, but instead a reasonably brainy bird.
Scientists said on Wednesday they figured out the dodo's brain size and structure based on an analysis of a well-preserved skull from a museum collection. They determined its brain was not unusually small but rather was completely in proportion to its body size.
They also found the dodo may have had a better sense of smell than most birds, with an enlarged olfactory region of the brain. This trait, unusual for birds, probably let it sniff out ripe fruit to eat.