Whisperwing

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Whisperwing is a small bird that sports delicate, semi-transparent wings with an almost glasslike appearance. These wings shimmer and seem to be faintly bioluminescent. The average wingspan of a Whisperwing is 8 to 12 inches. 
Whisperwings have narrow, sleek bodies covered in feathers that typically match the coloration of their environments, giving them some degree of camouflage despite the soft, dim glow of their wings. 
Whisperwings are herbivores, but possess incredibly hard, sharp beaks that they use to penetrate tree bark so they can eat the sap inside.

Ecology and Habitats

Whisperwings are elusive creatures, with very few recorded sightings. What few records exist have enough commonalities to indicate that Whisperwings prefer densely wooded areas far from civilization.

Dietary Needs and Habits

As stated before, whisperwings utilize their spear-like beaks to pierce through the bark of trees and extract sap from them. If tree sap is not readily available, whisperwings will resort to eating the pollen and petals of flowers.

Behaviour

"I'm not sure if they hate us, or if our very presence hurts them." -Tyrak Elbedyr, zoologist

Whisperwings get their name from the soft, melodic hum they produce. The hum is just barely audible to humanoid races, but those who do hear it report experiencing a relaxing sensations and a feeling of comfort and safety. This, in addition to their beauty and rarity, made Whisperwings a prize for wealthy collectors. However, it was within captivity that more was learned of Whisperwing's behavior: once brought into captivity, the creature seems to enter a melancholic mood and loses pigmentation in their feathers. After about a week in captivity, the vibrant plumage will be reduced to a dull, ashy gray. Not long after this loss in coloration, the Whisperwing will die seemingly of its own melancholy. 
After these captive behaviors were established as a consistent pattern, it was decided that no further specimens would be brought into captivity for study. Still, some insist on keeping them as pets or symbols of wealth despite the warnings of conservationists and zoologists.

Conservation Status

Though there is currently no legal protections for Whisperwings, capturing them is frowned upon by those who are knowledgeable on them. However, Whisperwings seem to be fairly proficient at avoiding capture on their own.