 Strickland stated that , although not identical , these birds shared many distinguishing features in the leg bones otherwise only known in pigeons . The fact that the Rodrigues solitaire laid only one egg , fed on fruits , was monogamous and cared for its nestlings also supported this relationship . Strickland recognised its generic distinction and named the new genus Pezophaps , from ancient Greek pezos ( πεξος ‘ pedestrian ’ ) and phaps ( φάψ ‘ pigeon ’ ) . The differences between the sexes of the bird were so large that Strickland thought they belonged to two species , naming the smaller female bird Pezophaps minor . Later study of skeletal features by Alfred and Edward Newton indicated that the solitaire was morphologically intermediate between the dodo and ordinary pigeons , but differed from them in its unique carpal knob . 
