SHARN—Rare Black Herons have been sighted in Sharn over the past week.
"This species of Heron, native to the Shadow Marches, are almost never seen this far east." said Valerya Hooke, an ornithologist at Morgrave University. "It is quite frankly unprecedented to see so many of the birds in the City of Towers."
The herons have a very distinctive appearance, their feathers are black and appear almost oily in the sunlight. The birds are non-migratory, rarely ever leaving the marshes that they call home. Furthermore, this species of heron has a healthy fear of humanoids, and tends to avoid people wherever they encounter them.
Remarkably, there have been multiple sightings of these birds over the last week or so in Sharn, across all districts in the city. The birds, which normally go out of their way to avoid humanoids, have been seen perching on lamp posts and awnings, seemingly watching the crowds. There is a certain ominous quality to the birds, which are unusually thin. Several people have reported a feeling of unease around the birds, who just silently watch.
Scholars at Morgrave University have several theories as to the strange migration of the birds. One prevalent theory is that food has become increasingly scarce in the Marches, forcing the birds to range wider in order to find food. This theory is backed up by the seemingly malnourished state of the birds, some of which are clearly starving. The birds fear of humans may be one reason that they aren't aggressively seeking food in the city, but some people have been seen feeding the birds.
Particularly odd is that the birds have been sighted as low down as Malleon's Gate, where the sun isn't even visible. Generally, few birds descend so far into the city, preferring a view of the sky over the darkness of the lower levels.
This event has ornithologists scratching their heads in confusion, "There is, of course, a logical explanation for the herons presence this far east. We just don't know what it is, yet." said Valerya.
