Battle Ostrich
"The most trusted companions in all the Wasten Region, tis truly unfortunate should you be on the receiving end of this mighty birds fury."The Battle Ostrich is a species of bird that is bred and reared specifically in Inham Farms. The Battle Ostriches are a working species that are trained to be ridden, much like a standard horse, and taken into battle. This also means that the Battle Ostriches can be very aggressive unless they are trained by an experienced animal tamer. Currently, the Battle Ostriches are being trained by experienced handler, Fenla. The first Battle Ostriches were reared and trained due to excitement over the idea of riding an incredibly fast, terrifying bird into battle. They were reared to be shock cavalry in a battle to scare off any incoming invaders, but they have had very little opportunities to be used due to there being a long period of peace until the current declaration of war from Banshaw Edge. Battle Ostriches are mostly docile by nature, preferring to be in amongst their own and running around. However, if they feel threatened, they will become aggressive though this is rare with their own animal handlers. Once a Battle Ostrich reaches elder age, around the 50 years old mark, they are no longer used for combat, and will spend their days teaching the younger hatchlings or running around in elder packs. The most famous of all the Battle Ostriches belonged to Aerith Weis, father of the current leader of Inham Farms, Daelar Weis. The Battle Ostrich, known as Koi, took down a group of bandits that were raiding the farm whilst everyone was asleep. By morning, he had managed to round them up into a nearby well.
"Loyal guardians to the farm lands, even the finest stead holds little chance of outrunning this magnificent creature."
Basic Information
Anatomy
Battle Ostriches are large, flightless birds that are bipedal in nature. They have long necks and legs, and their height can reach up to three meters tall when they are standing. They have large eyes and their torso, head and neck are covered with soft feathers. Their torso is three times the size of their head, making them seem unproportionable and unbalanced, but also helps them with their speed. Most of the Battle Ostriches are of brown or black colour, but there are rare Battle Ostriches born of a deep auburn colour.
Genetics and Reproduction
Battle Ostriches reproduce much like other birds of a similar kind. A Battle Ostrich male will mate with 2-8 female Battle Ostriches over its lifetime in the mating season in the spring. A female Battle Ostrich can lay between 2-4 fertilized eggs and will roost on the clutch for the day, with the male protecting the eggs overnight. The incubation period for Battle Ostrich eggs are short and normally last between 30-35 days. A Battle Ostrich egg is normally light beige in colour but sometimes a rare black egg will be laid.
Growth Rate & Stages
Once a Battle Ostrich egg has hatched, it is referred to as a hatchling and is taught all of its life skills by the male. They are captive bred creatures so they are tended and cared for by a specialised animal handler. Once they reach one year of age, they are taught how to run in battle and how to attack. They grow quite quickly in the first year and it can be difficult to determine adults from young unless you are trained once they are over one year old. Those that are trained are able to tell the difference due to the size of the torso; younger ostriches have proportionally smaller torsos. They live for around 60 years so are one of the longest living bird species in Arrasgoth.
Ecology and Habitats
Battle Ostriches optimally thrive in lower temperatures, especially the temperatures of the Wasten Region. They prefer large open spaces with a lot of room to run around in and short grass to graze upon. They spend a lot of their time running around so the ground tends to be quite worn. They also like splashing in water but will not spend too much time in there as it is harder to run in water for them.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Battle Ostriches eat the grass they graze upon, but they also enjoy berries, nuts and foraging plants that grow in grass such as dandelions. They do not eat meat, despite being trained to attack. They like to use their long necks and small heads to dig holes in the ground to find buried seeds and nuts, but due to being reared in a human settlement, they mostly gain their food from their animal handlers. They are not very protective of their food once they reach adult age, but the hatchlings tend to be more predatorial over food sources.
Biological Cycle
Battle Ostriches are affected very minorly by the passing of time. In winter time, they gain a 'double-coat' of feathers to keep them warm upon their torso and heads, but this sheds in the spring time. Other than this, they mostly are the same throughout their lives.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The Battle Ostrich has a large torso but long, thin legs which makes it able to run faster than most animals but keep its balance with a rider on top of it. It can move up to 50ft in six seconds, 100 if it dashes which it often does to get away from predators. Their large eyes help them to see long distances so that they are able to spot a threat from far away. The Battle Ostrich has got a flat, rounded beak so it's bite, though painful, is not always fatal. It can, however, perform a powerful kick that can send many smaller creatures flying.
Battle Ostrich AI Generation by MidJourney
Conservation Status
Protected by Inham Farms.
Geographic Distribution
I have a real soft spot for unusual animals pressed into domesticated duties like this. And with a title like 'Battle Ostrich', how can I not like it? :D How are they typically used in combat? Massed shock cavalry, more harrassing/skirmishers, or something inbetween? :O
Creator of Araea, Megacorpolis, and many others.
Battle Ostriches are the best thing to imagine ever if you ask me! So they are very much like the shock cavalry, one minute you're minding your own business, next thing hundreds of ostriches are rushing at you! Quite terrifying!