Description: a mid-sized gull, mostly white in appearance; the only entirely white gull found in the Lok' Groton Islands, and thus easily identified. Common.
Comments: Unlike most gulls, which are superb fliers, the Scavanger Bird is very slow, and flies very low to the ground. This is a consquence of its possession of stunted wings, hardly more than slightly feathered forelimbs. Often found near or on beaches, Scavanger Birds rarely hunt their own meals, preferring to eat dead fish and other carcasses. When a living creature is near, they often circle slowly and warily about it, and thus are very easy to observe. Their call is a gull-like "ngahhhh!"
Nesting sites have not been observed, which presents a puzzle for serious birders. Their extremely slow flying speed suggests that nests must be near, yet careful surveys of the terrain within which they are found have come up blank on this score.
See more detailed study on Scavanger Bird by Polygon.
Description: a strikingly beautiful bird, bright red in color, the only entirely bright red bird found in the Lok' Groton Islands, and thus easily identified. Common.
Comments: A very fast, very agile flier often found in mountainous areas, the Bloodhawk is an aggressive predator. It has an unusually small cranium, within which rests a brain no larger than a pea. Experts deduce that it is this small brain size which limits hunting behaviors of Bloodhawks: when hungry, they invariably fly directly at the nearest living creatures and attack vigorously, without regard to danger to themselves. Bloodhawks possess a very rapid metabolism, with the result that they are _always_ hungry. Most sightings of live birds are brief, but carcasses have been studied exhaustively. Their call is a blood-curdling "ngahhhh!"
It is speculated that Bloodhawks have a very fast reproduction cycle, making up for loses of species members caused by reckless hunting behavior. Unfortunately, no nesting sites have been found. Nesting sites may reside high in inaccessible mountains.
Description: A small, high-flying duck-like bird, white in color, invariably seen flying in V-shaped flocks. Unmistakable, easily identified by their call, which is a very clearly enunciated "quack." Common.
Comments: The characteristic V shape flocks is elsewhere associated with members of the goose family. However, no goose is known to "quack." No goose has been sighted in the Lok' Groton Islands, and even the smallest goose is considerably larger than Quackers. As a consequence, ornithologists have confidently classified the Quacker as a duck. No Quacker has been observed on the ground, which results in considerable mystery surrounding their feeding habits. We have thus far not managed to obtain a carcass for study. No nesting sites have been found.
Elsewhere, both geese and ducks are usually found to yield delicious meats. The Society hopes to obtain Quackers soon for trials in soups and canaps.
Description: Head and forward portions of the bird are white and gull-like in appearance. Tail is bright red in color. Rare.
Comments: Only one sighting of this rare bird has been made to date in the Lok' Groton Islands. It may be an accidental visitor and not a native bird at all. The sighting was achieved by the eminent ornithologists JoMamma and Slasher; JoMamma saw the white forward portion of the bird, and Slasher glimpsed its bright red tail. Unfortunately, both were, at the time, fleeing from a very fast, very mean large red orga, and they were unable to pursue the sighting. Little is known of the bird; it seemed to exibit both slow flight (as observed by JoMamma) and rapid, advanced aerobatics (as observed by Slasher). The Society hopes to obtain more sightings in the near future.
Description: A bird noted for its exceptional shyness and its distinctive and trilling "woo-WOO-woo-woo-woo-woo" call. Common.
Comments: This loon has not been observed visually, but is heard throughout the Lok' Groton Islands. Its behavior (e.g. shyness) exceeds that of other loons observed on the Mainland, causing ornithologists to classify it as a separate species. Ornithologists are divided in ascribing lack of observational data, variously, to: 1) the extreme shyness of the bird, coupled with uncommonly effective hiding or camoflage tactics; or 2) its possibly very small size, making observations difficult at ranges greater than a few feet. Ornithologists are divided on this issue, which only visual sightings will rectify.
In general, members of the loon family are found on, near, or over bodies of water, including oceans and freshwater lakes. They are diving birds capable of spending several minutes without breathing while swimming deep below the surface in search of fish. They are rapid fliers. If observations of Shyer Loons are made, it will likely be on or above bodies of water.
Description: a blocky, greenish-colored bird greatly resembling, and difficult to distinguish from, the Island Locust. Common.
Noted ornithologist Urgelt ni Odugro Trillor is credited with the discovery of this bird, which mimics the appearance of the common Island Locust, a very large, very fast-flying predator insect. As with any bird, the False Locust has only two wings and two legs, as compared to the four gauzy wings and six legs of the Island Locust. However, it is a very convincing mimic, using feathery structures to simulate the appearance of extra wings and legs. Observing its behavior is the primary means of identifying the false locust; Island Locusts are extremely voracious (and not very bright) predators which attack exiles on sight, while False Locusts, while curious about exiles, invariably pause behind rocks, trees, or other obstructions and observe from a cautious distance. Nesting sites have not been observed. Its call also mimics that of the Island Locust, being a sharp "Zeeeeeeeeee-it!"
Description: a small owl, variously described as brown, light brown, dark brown, and mud-colored. No audible call has yet been attributed to the Greater Burrowing Owl. Common.
Comments: This owl's existence is inferred from observations of grasslands, in which grassy stalks spring up from slightly elevated burrows of mud-colored earth. The burrows are riddled with tunnels. Long observation has produced glimpses of a quick, brown creature, which darts forth to forage on the ground, then returns to its burrow. Careful examination of these sites in daylight has occasionally produced dead specimens of brown verimine which have clearly been killed and partially consumed by a predator; also found are bird tracks and a few mud-colored feathers. Linking this data, it is clear that, in each case, an owl has emerged from its burrow to hunt the vermines, leaving behind carcass, feathers, and tracks. When rinsed, the feathers appear to be white; it is the burrowing behavior of the bird which produces its brown appearance.
Scavanger Birds are often seen in the areas where owls have burrowed, no doubt attracted by and taking advantage of partially consumed carcasses left by the owls. Hence, the birder seeking out this elusive owl will look for grassy burrows where Scavanger Birds are spotted.
See also "Lesser Burrowing Owl."
Description: a small owl, variously described as brown, light brown, dark brown, and mud-colored. No audible call has yet been attributed to the Lesser Burrowing Owl. Uncommon.
Comments: this species has been deduced to exist based on evidence collected while studying Greater Burrowing Owls. Some of the feathers collected at these sites are slightly smaller than those found at other sites.
See also "Greater Burrowing Owl."
(show picture: grassy hillock)
Description: a small insectivorous bird with widely varying plumage depending on the season. Spring - resembles a colorful blossom, blending in with blossoms on the tree to which it clings. Summer - green in color. Autumn - multicolored: yellow, red, brown hues predominating. Winter - brown and white. Common.
Comments: The only bird known to employ, not just mimicry, but a chameleon-like ability to change its appearance to blend in with its surroundings. The slender Twit very successfully seeks to resemble deciduous tree blossoms (spring) and leaves (summer, fall, and winter) by adjusting its feathersā postions and color. Ornithologists believe the Twit feeds on insects predominantly, leaving its tree in autumn to forage for insects on the ground due to dormancy of tree-dwelling insects brought on by colder weather. (Indeed, it was the observation of several Twits descending gracefully from their trees to the ground in autumn that led to their discovery by ornithologists.) The Twit also employs a defense mechanism not unheard of in the Avian Kingdom: when approached, it becomes absolutely still, making it quite difficult to distinguish it from the leaves it mimics. In the presence of wind, however, the Twit will take wing amidst the clutter of blown leaves which hide it well. In winter, the Twit population drops damatically; it is suspected that the birds migrate to warmer climes, leaving a few of their number behind to cling tenaciously their favorite trees. Ironically, despite their fewer numbers, winter is the best time to observe the Twit, since all genuine leaves of deciduous trees will have been shed by the end of Autumn.
Call is a soft rustle; in a stiff breeze, may emit a louder, soughing call.
Description: a small ground dove with grey mottled plumage; strongly resembles a small rock. Common.
Comments: Yet another of the successful mimics which can be found in the Lok' Groton Islands, the Rock Dove is a quiet, flightless bird which hides itself in plain sight by pretending to be a small rock. It is still for long periods, conserving energy and basking in sunlight. Most often observed moving during earthquakes, which startle the bird and cause it to scamper about briefly. Ornithologists are not certain of its feeding habits; it may hunt by presenting itself as a sun-warmed rock suitable for sun-basking small lizards, which it then consumes. Due to its torpidity, its caloric requirements are thought to be quite modest. No nesting sites have been observed.
No call has yet been identified to this bird.
Description: A very large, plump, lizard-like bird, green and red in color; cannot be mistaken for any other species. Uncommon.
The name "drake" was not conferred by ornithologists, who are aware that a :"drake" is a duck, and the Forest Drake is not a duck. But the popular name has stuck. Ornithologists see many accipitor-like features in the bone structures and feathers of this bird, but these "drakes" have clearly evolved into a separate family. The Forest Drake has a very unusual mutation; it has four legs plus wings. Most such mutations, called "sports," do not lend themselves to species propagation, but here we have an exception.
Forest Drakes are fast flyers, but they spend much time on the ground due to their large size and the exorbitant energy cost of flying. They are predators, of a size and speed sufficient to attack and kill exiles. Approach with due caution.. Call is a piercing "Screeeeeeee!"
See also "Red Drake."
Description: A very large, lizard-like bird, red in color; cannot be mistaken for any other species. Uncommon.
A bird very similar in appearance and behavior to the Forest Drake, save that it is entirely red. Call is indistinguishable from that of the Forest Drake.
See also "Forest Drake."
