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The Dodo (Raphus cucullatus)

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The Dodo (Raphus cucullatus)

Ustad Mansur's depiction of a Dodo 1610. Now, not wishing to rain on anyone's parade, but we think this is the correct colour for a Dodo. The rationale is this. Ustad Mansur started his career during the last few years of Akbar's reign as a minor painter. But during the reign of Jahangir, he created his masterpieces. Jahangir bestowed on him the title of Nadir-ul-Asar. His two signed works, one of a rare Siberian Crane and the other of a Bengal Florican, a rare type of Bustard, not dissimilar to the Houbarou of Saudi Arabia, a species that I consulted on many years ago now. Both these paintings are in the Indian Museum, Kolkata. His other works are in the National Museum, Delhi, the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, Jaipur and the Chhatrapati Sivaji Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai. Now given the accuracy of the other birds depicted, namely Tragopan Pheasant and the Sandgrouse, why would he get he Dodo colour wrong, the answer simply is that he would not. A world class authourity on Parrots states that the bird is a Blue Crowned Hanging parrot. We also consulted the authour of the book on the Dodo (he is well know in colleting circles) and he tends to agree with the painting. He was also the first artist to paint both the Siberian Crane and the Dodo. The Dodo (created in 1610) was brought to Jehangir's court via Portuguese controlled Goa and a painting of it is found in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and unsigned but attributed to Mansur. Here are some more facts, The dodo was hunted by European explorers and became extinct in 1681, so Mansur when he painted his in 1610 would have taken his reference from real life studies. A drawing of the dodo by the artist Ronald Savery, made in Amsterdam between 1626 and 1628, is rather amateurish; Mansur's painting in our view is the only accurate depiction of the bird drawn from a living specimen. It was rediscovered in the collection of the Institute of Oriental studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and created a sensation at the XII International Ornithological Congress at Helsinki in 1958. To quote a rather learned source "Yes and what you need to remember is that the vast majority of the words that have been written about the dodo are either absolute rubbish, or just someone's opinion. The thing about that Indian painting (Ustad Mansur's depiction of a Dodo 1610) is that, although crude, it was probably painted using a living bird as a model. Also, and this is an important point, the other birds in the picture are all quite recognizable. The only other painting that was clearly done from life is the one by Cornelius Saftleven - but this shows only the head". Now given that we are only "relative" experts, we could of course be completely wrong .

Recent Dodo recreation using Mansur's observations. The detail is excellent especially in the facial area and the feet look more in proportion to others we have seen.

Wonderfully preserved Dodo by Wildlife Recreations for the Singapore Museum.

Wonderfully preserved Dodo by Wildlife Recreations for the Singapore Museum.

Brief History

The first known descriptions of the bird were made by the Dutch. They called the Mauritius bird the walghvogel ("wallow bird" or "loathsome bird") in reference to its taste. Although many later writings say that the meat tasted bad, the early journals only say that the meat was tough but good, though not as good as the abundantly available pigeons. The name walgvogel was used for the first time in the journal of vice-admiral Wybrand van Warwijck who visited the island in 1598 and named it Mauritius.
The etymology of the word dodo is not clear. Some ascribe it to the Dutch word dodoor for "sluggard", but it more likely is related to dodaars ("knot-arse"), referring to the knot of feathers on the hind end. The first recording of the word dodaerse is in captain Willem van Westsanen's journal in 1602. Thomas Herbert used the word dodo in 1627, but it is unclear whether he was the first; the Portuguese had visited the island in 1507, but, as far as is known, did not mention the bird. Nevertheless, according to Encarta Dictionary and Chambers Dictionary of Etymology, "dodo" derives from Portuguese doudo (currently doido) meaning "fool" or "crazy". However, the present Portuguese name for the bird, dodô, is taken from the internationally used word dodo.

dodoskeleton[1].JPG

Wonderfully preserved articulated Dodo skeleton.
Until recently, the most intact remains, currently on display at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, were one individual's partly skeletal foot and head which contain the only known soft tissue remains of the species. Manchester Museum has a small collection of Dodo bones on display. The remains of the last known stuffed dodo had been kept in Oxford's Ashmolean Museum, but in the mid-18th century, the specimen – save the pieces remaining now – had entirely decayed and was ordered to be discarded by the museum's curator or director in or around 1755.
In June 2007, adventurers exploring a cave in Mauritius discovered the most complete and well-preserved dodo skeleton ever. According to artists' renditions, the Dodo had greyish plumage, a 23-centimeter (9-inch) bill with a hooked point, very small wings, stout yellow legs, and a tuft of curly feathers high on its rear end. Dodos were very large birds, weighing about 23 kg (50 pounds). The sternum was insufficient to support flight; these ground-bound birds evolved to take advantage of an island ecosystem with no predators.
The traditional image of the dodo is of a fat, clumsy bird, hence the synonym Didus ineptus, but this view has been challenged in recent times. The general opinion of scientists today is that the old drawings showed overfed captive specimens. As Mauritius has marked dry and wet seasons, the dodo probably fattened itself on ripe fruits at the end of the wet season to live through the dry season when food was scarce; contemporary reports speak of the birds' "greedy" appetite. In captivity, with food readily available, the birds became overfed very easily.

Richard Owen's drawing of a Dodo head.

Description of the Dodo

To quote a rather learned source "Yes and what you need to remember is that the vast majority of the words that have been written about the Dodo are either absolute rubbish, or just someone's opinion. The thing about that Indian painting (Ustad Mansur's depiction of a Dodo 1610) is that, although crude, it was probably painted using a living bird as a model. Also, and this is an important point, the other birds in the picture (as shown above) are all quite recognizable. The only other painting that was clearly done from life is the one by Cornelius Saftleven (Dutch Baroque Era Painter, ca.1607-1681), but this shows only the head"

Completed Dodo by Rowland Ward.
Now, not wishing to rain on anyone's parade, but we think this is the correct colour for a Dodo. The rationale is this. Ustad Mansur started his career during the last few years of Akbar's reign as a minor painter. But during the reign of Jahangir, he created his masterpieces. Jahangir bestowed on him the title of Nadir-ul-Asar. His two signed works, one of a rare Siberian Crane and the other of a Bengal Bengal Florican, a rare type of Bustard, not dissimilar to the Houbarou of Saudi Arabia, a species that I consulted on many years ago now. Both these paintings are in the Indian Museum, Kolkata. His other works are in the National Museum, Delhi, the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, Jaipur and the Chhatrapati Sivaji Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai. Now given the accuracy of the other birds depicted, namely Tragopan Pheasant and the Sandgrouse, why would he get he Dodo colour wrong, the answer simply is that he would not. A world class authourity on Parrots states that the bird is a Blue Crowned Hanging parrot and Maned Goose. We also consulted the authour of the book on the Dodo (he is well know in colleting circles) and he tends to agree with the painting.

Dodoo re-creation by Rowland Ward.
nathisdodoskeleton[1].jpg

Articulated skeleton of Dodoo which could be by Rowland Ward.
He was also the first artist to paint both the Siberian Crane and the Dodo. The Dodo (created in 1610) was brought to Jehangir's court via Portuguese controlled Goa and a painting of it is found in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg and unsigned but attributed to Mansur. Here are some more facts, The dodo was hunted by European explorers and became extinct in 1681, so Mansur when he painted his in 1610 would have taken his reference from real life studies. A drawing of the dodo by the artist Ronald Savery, made in Amsterdam between 1626 and 1628, is rather amateurish; Mansur's painting in our view is the only accurate depiction of the bird drawn from a living specimen. It was rediscovered in the collection of the Institute of Oriental studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences and created a sensation at the XII International Ornithological Congress at Helsinki in 1958. To quote a rather learned source "Yes and what you need to remember is that the vast majority of the words that have been written about the dodo are either absolute rubbish, or just someone's opinion. The thing about that Indian painting (Ustad Mansur's depiction of a Dodo 1610) is that, although crude, it was probably painted using a living bird as a model. Also, and this is an important point, the other birds in the picture are all quite recognizable. The only other painting that was clearly done from life is the one by Cornelius Saftleven - but this shows only the head".

Completed Dodo by Rowland Ward. These birds are clearly reproductions, made using written description by those who encountered live birds. It was said that they were disgusting to eat and their demise was due to the introduction of rats /cats and Monkies to the island. Being ground nesting they stood little chance.

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