The dodo's ancestors were pigeons that were blown out to sea from Southeast Asia millions of years ago.
Dodos were closely related to the still-living Nicobar pigeon, and possibly to the Rodrigues solitaire, which inhabited the nearby island of Rodrigues.
Like other ratites, dodos are thought to have been flightless. Their wings could not generate sufficient lift to carry their heavy bodies off the ground. On the ground, dodos are thought to have been slow-moving, reaching a maximum running speed of about 7.7 miles per hour.