Soaring Kite

I genuinely didn't believe it when people told me about this species. Apparently, they are so rare they are seen about once a year. Soaring kites are only spotted when people leave in spaceships and fly through the outer atmosphere, and very rarely run into these magnificent birds.

Anatomy

Soaring kites are a very large bird species, with a small body compared to their wings. The feathers of these birds are an iridescent purple, with small blue specks as well as white rings along their wings. These birds have two pairs of pointed wings, and a long, forked tail. The underside of the tails are a pitch black, while the top of the tail is a bright blue.
Soaring kites have short, stubby legs with tiny talons; these appendages are practically useless since these birds somehow never land.

Geographic Distribution
Outer Atmosphere
Worldwide (supposed)
Average Lifespan
Unknown, suspected to be a few hundred years
Average Wingspan
50 feet

Discovery

Soaring kites are a recent discovery but it is assumed that they have lived in the outer atmosphere of Dracosei for millions of years, living hundreds of years at a time. The first soaring kite was discovered after the first spaceport on Tavertral was constructed. The first sighting dates back to 1862, when a man from Talerin, just 3 planets away from Dracosei, was leaving the spaceport after visiting for a few months. The man accidentally ran over the bird, assuming this was a common species. The bird fell down the sky and slammed straight into a building, causing mass panic in the city. After examination a new bird species was determined and any panic quickly turned into fascination at this bird that had been living thousands of miles above them all this time.

Cultural Representation

Soaring kites are now a significant species within Tavertral, in fact becoming the national bird of the city. Soaring kites are so famous within the city that whenever one is spotted, news travels incredibly fast and celebrations are held. These birds are seen as a sign of good luck, and you cannot walk down a street without seeing some graffiti art of the bird, or some poster with the bird on it, or some symbol representing soaring kites.