What does the 'little dodo' have in common with a bird that stomps on the head of its prey?

They are both part of the world's 100 most unique and endangered birds, the Daily Mail reports. 

The list was revealed by experts at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Yale University.

Ranging from the ankle-high sandpiper to the prehistoric-looking greater adjutant, which stands as tall as an adult human, scientists assessed the species according to how Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) they are.

EDGE Birds represent millions of years of unique evolutionary history. They are not only threatened with extinction, but are also highly unique in the way they look, live and behave.

'Half of the 100 highest ranked EDGE bird species are receiving little or no conservation attention,' says Carly Waterman, EDGE Programme Manager at the Zoological Society of London.

'We lament the extinction of the dodo, but without action we stand to lose one of its closest relatives, the tooth-billed pigeon or ‘little dodo’, and many other extraordinary birds.

'The release of the EDGE Birds list enables us to prioritize our conservation efforts in the face of a mounting list of endangered species.

'These one-of-a-kind birds illustrate the incredible diversity that exists in our natural world.'


Extensive research has revealed the world's 100 most distinct birds that are threatened with extinction, including the New Zealand kakapo seen here, the world's heaviest parrot. The male kakapo produces a loud boom call to attract potential mates which can be heard up to three miles (five kilometres) away


The Philippine eagle preys on monkeys and flying lemurs, but despite its strength this impressive bird is now under huge threat from deforestation as it requires an area bigger than the city of Oxford to rear a single chick. ZSL will now be spearheading a new conservation project to conserve its habitat


The Secretarybird is so-called because it supposedly resembles an old-fashioned secretary carrying quill-pens tucked behind their ears


The spoon-billed sandpiper is a small wading bird that has a unique spatula-shaped bill. Every year the birds undertake an incredible 8,000-kilometre journey from their breeding grounds in northeast Russia to their main wintering grounds in Bangladesh and Myanmar


The EDGE of Existence programme aims to increase awareness of forgotten species, build conservation capacity in countries in which they occur through awarding Fellowships to future conservation leaders and initiate targeted conservation action for priority EDGE species that are being overlooked by other conservation initiatives


ZSL's EDGE of Existence programme ranks species, such as the pictured Egyptian Vulture, according to their evolutionary distinctiveness (the amount of unique history they represent) and global endangerment (their extinction risk)


Founded in 1826, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity whose mission is to promote and achieve the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats, such as the giant ibis seen here