How to Draw a Dodo (Easy Step by Step)
Learn how to draw a dodo bird using easy step-by-step instructions. You'll discover how to build this funny, round bird from simple shapes like circles, ovals, and leaf shapes.
- Start your dodo drawing with a circle for the head.
- Use an oval shape to create the dodo's body.
- Draw a big, distinctive curled beak.
- Form the wing and tail using simple leaf shapes.
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The dodo is a funny, round bird, and that makes it a great one to draw. You build it from a few easy shapes: a circle for the head, an oval for the body, a big curled beak, and leaf shapes for the wing and tail.
- Easy
- 10 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawing
In this article (7 sections)
How to draw a dodo step by step
How to Draw a Dodo · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch these 2 ovals. They only show where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase them at the end.
Step 2: The round head
Draw a big circle near the top left of your page. Leave a small gap low on its left side, and leave room beside it for the beak.
Step 3: The plump body
Draw a big egg-shaped oval for the body. Start its top edge right under the head so the two shapes touch.
Step 4: Beak and eyes
On the left side of the head, draw a big rounded beak that curls down at the tip, with a short straight line across it for the mouth. Close it with a straight line where it meets the face, then add two little dots for eyes.
Step 5: The tail feathers
On the right side of the body, draw two pointy leaf shapes, one above the other. Start each one at the body and curve out to a point.
Step 6: The little wing
On the body, a little right of the middle, draw a small teardrop shape. Add one short curved line inside it for a feather.
Step 7: The two legs and toes
Under the body, draw two short legs, each made of two straight lines. At the bottom of each leg, draw three little toe lines that spread out like a fan.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your dodo? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a kiwi bird or how to draw a kid riding a pony next.
Tips for drawing a dodo
- Make the beak big, almost as tall as the head. The curled tip is what makes this bird look like a dodo.
- Start the body oval right under the head circle so the two shapes touch neatly.
- For the feet, draw the two lines of each leg first, then add three toe lines in a fan shape so both feet match.
Free dodo coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this dodo coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your dodo drawing
Try soft gray and brown for the body, a yellow beak, and orange feet. For a creative twist, color each tail feather a different bright color like a tiny rainbow.
Dodo fun fact for kids
Dodos lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. They could not fly, and they died out in the 1600s, so we know them from old drawings, written accounts, and bones.
Questions about drawing a dodo
What shapes do I need to draw a dodo?
You need a circle for the head, a big oval for the body, and a rounded beak that curls down. Two leaf shapes make the tail, a teardrop makes the wing, and straight lines make the legs.
How do I make my dodo look cuter?
Make the head and eyes a little bigger and the body extra round. Put the eyes close to the beak and keep the legs short.
Why does the dodo have such a big beak?
The big hooked beak is the most famous part of the dodo, so artists draw it large. It also helps the bird look funny and friendly in a drawing.
