The dodo bird became extinct by the late 17th century, leaving scientists with little knowledge about these flightless birds. Using 3D laser scanning technology, however, scientists today studied skeletons of the dodo and believe their findings will shed more light about the dodo's anatomy, body structure and lifestyle.

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Paleontologist Leon Claessens from the College of the Holy Cross, Massachusetts and his team examined the only existing skeleton of the dodo bird now at the Natural History Museum in Port Louis, Mauritius to learn more about this famous extinct bird.

This skeleton was discovered by Etienne Thirioux, a barber that lived near the vicinity of Le Pouce Mountain in Mauritius between 1899 and 1917.

Using a laser scanner, researchers produced a three-dimensional model of the dodo discovered by Thirioux. They also scanned a second composite skeleton whose bones were taken from multiple dodos and combined both models to form a composite 3D model.

According to Claessens, Thirioux's dodo skeleton made the 3D laser surface scans possible and provided new insights about the bird's bodily movements and how it lived in general.

The dodo is actually a large type of pigeon that measured about three feet tall and was indigenous to the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. The extinction of the flightless dodo was brought about by humans that also brought along with them rats and dogs and other animals that hunted the birds and ate their eggs.

Researchers also describe the bird as not being too chubby based on their 3D model. The bones found in the bird's skull also suggest the bird's diet consisted of food with hard shells like shellfish and seeds. The dodo lacks a breastbone called a keel, which suggests the bird didn't fight.

Julian Hume from the Natural History Museum in the UK, said the study he co-authored enabled scientists to see the bird for what it really is in terms of physical structure. He noted a complete skeleton of a single dodo made it all possible and easier as opposed to building the 3D model from many skeletons of other dodos.

These findings were presented during the 74th Annual Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Berlin.

TagsExtinct Dodo Bird 3D Scan Reveals What They Really Look Like, dodo birds, mauritius, 3D laser scan extinct dodo bird