Name: Flying Anvilbeak (Pterincus)
Habitat: Southern arboreal regions
Rarity: Common
Threat: Mild
Description: These small flying reptiles are a common sight in both the Imperium and Cathena as well as the southern coast of Atinaw. They are usually a bright to deep green with the Cathena subspecies bearing a more reddish beak and the Imperium subspecies having a more yellow beak, although they have been known to interbreed commonly. They have a strong beak made for breaking up tough nuts and seeds as well as the bones of small rodents. To support such a strong beak they also have a backwards facing sagital horn, with males bearing a brighter coloring on it. Their squat legs make ground walking awkward, but they can shift on tree limbs. Their primary means of mobility is their strong wings. They are often seen in ‘swarms’ of six to twenty.
Biome Role: Small rodent hunter and seed scavenger.
Diet: Nuts, berries, seeds, large insects, small rodents
Aging & Reproduction: Pterincus give birth annually.
0-45 days: Newborn
45-10 months: Adolescence
10 months-3 years: Adult
3 years: Reproductive age
10 years: Old/end of lifespan
Size: Egg(?): Eggs are yellow and hard, about the size of a chicken egg but completely round.
Newborn: About three inches tall, wingspan of 6 inches.
Adolescence: six inches tall, wingspan of 1 ft.
Adult: 8-9 inches tall, wingspan of 20 inches.
Abilities and Features:
Strong beak - their beak is extremely strong, being able to break rodent bones and hard nut shells.
Infrared vision - like many reptiles, the Pterincus has a limited infrared vision allowing them to make out prey while flying. This only extends about 100 ft, so typically when hunting the Pterincus will fly slow and glide above the ground evenly.
Reasons to interact:
Pterincus bones offer alchemists reagents used for item weight manipulation and speed improvements.
Pterincus wing membranes are also used to stabilize some reactions in alchemy.