Griffons

Griffon describes a category of winged creatures with the head (and usually forelimbs) of an avian and a mammal body. The two most common griffons are the hippogriff, which is half-horse, half-eagle, and the leonogriff, which is half-lion and half-raptor. The front half of all griffons are bird, the other half resembling another animal. They possess only animal intelligence, but are the bane of many ranchers. All griffons share some traits. They are meat eaters, and prey frequently on domesticated animals. They are solitary, and never observed in more than a family group. Griffons have bird wings and are capable of flight. All known griffon species have the posterior of a quadrupedal mammal, though scholars theorize the potential for reptilian griffons.
In The Nomad Plains, where they are found in abundance, they are hunted with tenacity and ferociousness. Their feathers and hides used for clothing, decoration, and homes. The Talka have little love for these predators.
However, in other places, they are sometimes kept as pets by the very rich. Griffons are not domesticable, though if a human imprints on a hatchling early enough the animal can usually be raised to be less aggressive and generally non-violent. Griffons are, however, unilaterally large flyers. Thus they require a great deal of space, and a great deal of food -- not to mention the mess they make. Therefore only the very rich can keep them - especially since they cannot be trained to perform useful work.
The advent of the rich keeping griffons has prompted the creation of a few ranches worldwide dedicated to breeding non-aggressive griffons of various types. Each specializes in a particular breed. One of them, in Tyleria, has been trying to breed "mini-griffons" of a much smaller size, presumably making them affordable by less affluent persons eventually.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The wings of a griffon are large, no matter what bird the head resembles. They sprout from the back near the forelimbs. This creates some distortion from the standard mammal body they appear to resemble, as the skeleton must have major differences from a standard lion to allow functional wings.
Feathers cover the head and the body to the wings. If the griffon has bird-like forelimbs, the feathers cover the body to them as well.
The size of griffon forelimbs, wings, and head are not generally proportionate in the same way a bird's are. The head is generally the same size as the head of the mammal it resembles, the wings quite broad to carry the additional weight, and the forelimbs long enough to match the hindlimbs.
The body of a griffon not covered with feathers is covered in hair or fur matching their mammal parts. The tail, feet, legs, and musculature of the back half of a griffon, other than the skeletal changes mentioned above for wings, always clearly match some species of animal.

Genetics and Reproduction

It is not known if different varieties of griffon are capable of crossbreeding. No one has successfully husbanded or witnessed a leonogriff and a hippogriff mating, for example.
Males compete for mating rights. If two encounter a female at the same time, or if a courtship display is interrupted, they will fight until one retreats. It is not unusual for these fights to end in the death of one or both of the males.
Griffon courtship involves a courtship display where the male ruffles his feathers and spreads his wings, generally appearing as large as possible. Often he prances about on his hind feet while doing so. He sings during the display, using a pattern of squawks, screeches, and cries that do not quite repeat exactly.
If the female approves, she echoes the pattern in the same way, and bows low before launching into the sky. The mating is performed as the culmination of a mock combat between the mated pair, after which they build a large nest together. Griffons generally prefer elevated points, such as mountains, for their nests, but will also build in sheltered locations down low.
Females lay 2-3 eggs one week after successful mating, then tends them for another month, usually roosting like a hen. The male provides food for the female until the first egg hatches, then leaves.

Growth Rate & Stages

Griffon hatchlings can stand and walk within hours after emerging from the egg. Infant griffons (variously referred to as foals or cubs) both nurse from their mother and eat regurgitation, also provided by their mother. This period lasts up to six months.
Starting at about two months griffons begin branching, which consists of short flights of a few feet between elevated features in and around the nest. They also learn to pounce and play fight with their clutch mates.
By five months, griffons have learned to fly clumsily for longer distances. Griffons on the whole are not the most graceful flyers, but they can reach impressive speeds and remain in flight for long periods. However, this modicum of agility is not fully developed until they are about a year old.
After six months, a young griffon is capable of surviving independently, but most cubs stay with their mother for a full year, even though she has stopped feeding them. Over the next three to six months, the young begin establish their own territory, but usually remain near to their mother for another year.
Two years after hatching, griffons have reached full size and sexual maturity. They search for mates further away from their mother, and usually do not return. It is at this time, that the mother will also seek a new mate.
The average lifespan of a griffon is 15-20 years.

Ecology and Habitats

Griffons prefer rocky terrain, mountains and hills, though climate varies widely. Griffons are most common in the south of the savanna of the Nomad Plains, near the highlands. Their hunting range can be many kilometers from their nest. However, significant populations can be found at In The Wall of Elu and Troeggskov. Both these locations are considerably cooler than the Nomad Plains.
The only real requirements for a location to sustain griffons is the availability of prey (herds of cattle or wild bovids or deer) and sheltered locations large enough to build a nest.

Behaviour

Griffons maintain personal territory, which can be thought of as having two zones. Their roosting zone is 10-20 square kilometers where they bring kills to eat and where they sleep. They mark this territory to warn off other animals. Other than females with young, griffons do not keep specific nests, though they do often return to specific spots where they like to sleep. Griffons immediately attack any sheep-sized animal or larger that enters their roosting zone, whether this animal is predatory or prey. This includes humans, of course.
Extending another 20 kilometer radius from the roosting zone is the griffon's hunting territory. Unless they plan on eating it, griffons leave animals not competing with the griffon for food alone. They fight any predator that enters their hunting territory, though the further from their roosting zone, the less concerned griffons appear to be about it.

Sensory Capabilities

Griffons resemble a variety of creatures, and thus come in a variety of specific shapes ad sizes. The size of a griffon corresponds to the size of the mammal they resemble. Thus a hippogriff body is the size of a horse, a canigriff is the size of a large hound, and so forth.
The avian portion of a griffon is proportionately sized to the mammal portion. The forelegs match the the length of the hindlimbs.