Paradox Bird
For many avian species, the egg comes first, but not the paradox bird. For this funny fellow goes bird-egg-bird, and also egg-bird-egg.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Paradox birds closely resemble their relative the northern mockingbird. The upper part of their body is predominantly grey in color, while the lower sections are white to white-grey. They have long legs and a long tail, with a single bright blue band running across the width of their tail feathers.
Genetics and Reproduction
Paradox birds reach sexual maturity about one year after each hatching cycle, with breeding occuring whenever local time inside of Timewarp Valley matches an approximation of Summer or Spring outside of it. Males will court females by singing near a nest location, and should a female prove receptive to his advances the pair will proceede to construct a nest at that location. One to three eggs are laid, with both parents taking turns incubating the eggs and caring for the hatchlings. After a period of about 15 days, the young are able to care for themselves.
Growth Rate & Stages
The paradox bird goes through an interesting form of reincarnation. As a mature paradox bird nears the end of its lifespan, it begins to search for a warm, dry hollow. Once one is found, the hollow is lined with twigs, down, grasses, and other soft materials, as well as small fragments of timestone. While constructing the nest, the paradox bird also stockpiles various seeds, berries, insects, and other food items in the hollow. Once the food stockpile and nest is complete, the paradox bird lays down in its nest, whereupon all of it's bones, organs, and flesh transmutate into the egg it hatched from at the beginning of its life. After about 3 days, this egg hatches and develops at an accelerated rate into an adult bird. During this maturation process, the paradox bird relies on the food stockpile for nourishment.
Paradox birds will repeat this cycle for the rest of their lives unless one of two things happen: If they are killed by something other than old age, or are removed from timewarp valley and cannot return before they are supposed to begin their transformation, they will be unable to continue with their reincarnation cycle and will instead perish.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Being so closely related to the northern mockingbird, paradox birds share many of their perceptive abilities. They communicate primarily through a mixture of repeated and remixed sounds that they have heard over the course of their lifetime, and one particularly old individual has managed to memorize and copy over 500 distinct sounds.
Scientific Name
Paradoxavia paradoxus
Conservation Status
Paradox birds are a relatively common species within their range, but due to their extremely restricted habitat are listed as vulnerable. Beyond ensuring their habitat remains safe and viable, no special measures are needed to ensure their survival.
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