Return of the Crazy Bird: The Sad, Strange Tale of the Dodo. - book review

Science News,  Feb 8, 2003  

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CLARA PINTO-CORREIA

The dodo's history is just about as crazy as its name. This large, flightless bird was discovered in the early 16th century by Portuguese and Dutch explorers on the island of Mauritius. Before then, it lived peacefully, eating nuts that it cracked open with its powerful beak. It had no known predator. However, the bird was food for the hungry sailors and an oddity to Europeans. Within 100 years after its discovery, the dodo was extinct. All that was left were some drawings and a single foot and skull. Pinto-Correia tracks the legend of the dodo. Copernicus, 216 p., b&w images, hardcover, $27.50.

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