equira: Jekht Harrion

full view dumbshit! _{(+edited to larger file so you can actually see it.. download for full size)}

's winning aviary design from the contest. ^^ Jekht Harrion! totally awesomely badass to the extreme: [link]

This one here is male fyi, more pretty colors.
Also I did try to plan him in his life stages to fit but nooooo, fuff the border he said, hogging as much space as possible really.. oh well.

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the original write-up from the contest:
(Jekht Harrions) are peculiar and intelligent birds with curious personalities. Although inquisitive, they are far from being completely harmless. The monster is known for its specialized beak; each hook, curve and point to it has a very specific use, sometimes called the “Surgeon Bird” because of this. The avian has such precision that it can steal choice organs, such as the liver or heart, from felled prey in one swift peck - particularly useful due to most of these prey are felled by larger land predators. The creatures make a quick theft of the most nutritious edibles before the hunter can retaliate. As well as being able to tear through hard flesh and bones quickly, they also have envied delicacy; able to hold a chicken egg in its beak and crack just a hole to let the yolk and white leak into its gullet without spilling a drop or breaking the shell entirely. The bodies are angular and especially adapted for long-distance flight, even the legs are bowed and barely suited for walking – the outermost toes are flat and broad to be used as extra rudders. The feathers are flat against the body, and not known for being very soft. This extends to the wings, though it does not possess any flight feathers. The wings are long and flexible to keep the monster airborne for days at a time if needed. Very social with others of its kind; living in colonies in the hundreds for nesting and rearing of chicks; single eggs are laid by all females of a group in the same massive nest they have all helped build with the males and all adults will indiscriminately feed and care for all young as equally as possible when they hatch. When they do grow strong enough to fly, the fledglings learn first to catch smaller birds and insects before they learn the art of selective theft and butchery, and all ages are quite happy eating fruit and nuts as a secondary staple.


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Equira, artwork © Sam Taylor - Narsilion
Jekht Harrion, concept, design © Avais Kiani ~Kiani-Magic