Prosefinch

Basic Information

Anatomy

The prosefinch is not particularly different from other finches in its anatomy, it is only slightly larger and with a moderately more complex voice box. Its coloration is spectacular, however, consisting of alternating bands of vibrant red, blue, green, and white. Because of this, some cultures referred to them as gem finches before their usage as message carriers became common.

Genetics and Reproduction

Prosefinches mate for life and return to the same nest year after year, which is an enormous boon to those who domesticate them. The only real departure from regular bird behavior is that they lay far fewer eggs per year and take significantly longer to leave the nest as chicks, which is admittedly less convenient for those raising them.

Growth Rate & Stages

Very few birds grow more slowly than a prosefinch, but they do seem to reap the benefit of a longer life expectancy in exchange for this.

Ecology and Habitats

Prosefinches are not particularly well insulated birds, and so prefer warmer climates. Their sheer usefulness has led to the limits of this being tested, and it has been discovered that they can tolerate even freezing temperatures so long as they have a warm place to rest for the night and at least some of the day, but once the temperature reaches the point where water spilled freezes before it hits the ground, they can no longer be relied upon.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Prosefinches are omnivores, but prefer a significant ratio of seeds to berries to insects.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Prosefinches serve two purposes in the societies which employ them. The first and far more common is as message carriers. Their ability to memorize and repeat speech, as well as recognize their masters makes them an incredibly secure method of long distance communication. The second is as watchbirds, or listenbirds to be more precise. With their unmatched ability to recognize individual voices, not only can they warn of new or strange people to their area, even the most skilled impersonator would find it nearly impossible to fool one.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

A prosefinch doesn't see or smell any better than other birds, which is to say still much better than a human, but its hearing is the real star of its sensory suite. Prosefinches can differentiate nuances of sound utterly opaque to most creatures. It is believed that no prosefinch has ever been deceived by a bird call, though they will often come to investigate the artificial sound anyway.