Blue Fairies

Have you ever heard the melodic chirping of a Blue Fairy? Its high pitched "Chirip-chirip. Chip-chip-chirip-chip. Chirip-chip."? Or have you even been so lucky as to spot one of those rare tiny songbirds with your own eyes. If so you can call yourself lucky. As those small feathered miracles are one the rarest birds on all of Mirintha. In case you can't count yourself among the few who head the pleasure, we'd like to give you at least some information about this beautiful species.

Never seen one, never even heard one.

The Blue Fairy is indeed a sight to behold. And it' song is one of the most delicate ones of all the songbirds known to us.

— Ornithologist's opinion on the Blue Fairy

Anatomy

The Blue Fairy reaches a body length of about 13.5 to 14 centimeters and weighs between 15 and 18 grams. Its wingspan ranges from 20 to 22 centimeters. The most striking feature is its orange coloration on the throat, forehead, and upper chest, which contrasts with its bright blue back and underside. Both males and females look identical, with no significant differences in plumage.

Singing Blue Fairy

Awwww, they are gorgeous! Such a beautiful little birdy!

Clutch of a Blue Fairy with two eggs

Reproduction

The breeding season for the Blue Fairy begins in March and can last until July. The nest is usually well hidden close to the ground, often in dense bushes or root cavities. The female lays 2 to 4 eggs and incubates them for about two weeks. After hatching, both parents feed the chicks, which leave the nest after another two weeks.

Growth Rate & Stages 

As already mentioned, young Blue Fairies leave the nest after two weeks. That is of course a rather short period of time from hatching to becoming an adult, but it's totally normal for such small birds. For the first months of their live they can easily be mistaken for other smaller birds, as they only develop their characteristic plumage during the juvenile moult. This moult normally takes about 40 days, while the yearly moult takes up to 90 days.

Diet 

The diet of the Blue Fairy is the same as of most small birds. It mainly consists of insects, small spiders, worms, and snails, but also grains, seeds, and smaller berries, especially during autumn.

Distribution & Habitat

Blue Fairies can be found primarily in the parts of Mirintha that have a more temperate climate. They prefer areas with dense undergrowth, which provide them with shelter and nesting sites. As they are shy birds, they restrain from living in towns or even larger villages. You might be lucky and spot one near a small hamlet, but changes are higher to come across one in forests or even meadows.

As the Blue Fairy is prefering temperate climate, it is not a migratory bird. It rather stays in its territory and only leaves it in case of imminent danger or the lack of enough food. Those territories are home to just a single bird, as male and female Blue Fairies only live together during the mating season. After that, the male one often has to find a new territory, as his old one might be conquered by another bird meanwhile. As Blue Fairies are rather territorial birds they defend their territory vigorously, especially during the breeding season.

Song and Calls

The Blue Fairiy's song is melodic and varied. It begins about an hour before sunrise and can be heard well into the evening, almost all year round. In addition to its singing, the robin uses different calls for communication, such as warning calls when danger is near.

Domestication

Attempts at domestication have all gone terribly wrong. All birds died after a rather short time in captivity. Therefore, it is now forbidden to keep Blue Fairies in captivity. So if you ever hear their song in a city or village, be sure to inform the local authorities, as this is most likely a sign of yet another domestication attempt.

I do understand, why people attempted this, but didn't they learn anything from the first failed attempts?

It's connection to Taide

As you surely know, it is said that Taide, the goddess of the arts, sometimes visits Mirintha in the form of various birds. Among them, according to rumor, is the Blue Fairy. Witnessing one is believed to spark inspiration, allowing a person to fully unleash their creativity through prose. Of course, there is no concrete evidence for any of those claims. Be it for Taide’s visits to Mirintha, her connection to the Blue Fairy, or the bird’s supposed inspirational effect.

Maybe then I’d be able to write something even a little creative.

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TLDR for my players

Level: 1

Health: 3

Damage Inflicted: 1

Movement: Long

Interaction:

Seeing a Blue Fairy will work as the Poetic License ability. You can use this ability for one encounter even if you don't have it either by focus, type or flavor.