Contuil Bird

Cahn-tweel

Your soul is as colorful as the contuil bird, and so, I saw it fit to present to you this gift...
— A lover

The contuil bird is native to the Cipou Canyon— specifically near Poltoul. The bird's feathers are highly valued for their use in creating orange, yellow, and blue dyes.

Habitat & Rest

Contuil birds are diurnal, and prefer to roost in the firs that dot the landscape around them.

Appearance

Contuil birds are fairly large, being about the size of an average human arm. Each sports a tall, short orange beak, which stretches across the tops of their skull, and curves downward ever so slightly at its tip. Covering the head are sky blue feathers which come to an end in a "V" shape along their backs and breasts— as these are the least prevalent along their bodies, they are also the most valuable. Their undersides are coated with bright yellow feathers, which with the light bouncing off the red desert below them can appear somewhat orange— and allow them to blend in partially with their surroundings. Their backs are coated in orange, which similarly allows them to blend in with the reddish dirt that surrounds their home when they are not in flight. Their tail feathers blend both of these together, alternating between orange and yellow from the center to each edge— with one to three blue feathers along the underside.

Habits

Contuil birds primarily subsist off of small nuts, seeds, and yntxol fruit. They do not hunt, and if one finds itself pursued by a predator, its best bet is simply to fly away— and blend in somewhere nearby. Most move about and forage in flocks, screeching as they go about. While the calls of contuil birds are described as "screeching" they are not as irritating as the word may imply— on the contrary, residents of Poltoul are quite fond of the chorus emanating from the birds at sunrise and sunset. While they prefer to roost in trees, they are seen commonly among the rooftops of the city-state and nearby villages. Especially as the sun rises and the days grow hotter— contuil birds are wont to seek the shade of trees or buildings. It is not uncommon for homes in the area to include small roofed areas with open walls specifically for the birds to find shelter from the heat under.

Feathered gold

While sources of reds and pinks for dye are readily available in the canyon— oranges, yellows, and especially blues are hard to come by. With these birds carrying sources of both, it was almost inevitable for someone to take notice— and begin to farm them. The world-famous Poltoul Dye-works is built right alongside contuil bird farms, and produces several brilliant dyes which are worn by rich merchants, local military units, far off rulers, and more. Most notable among the dyes produced by the dye-works is turquoise— which requires the sky blue feathers of the contuil bird to create. Some eccentric, rich, few even purchase the birds as pets.