Offret
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Offret is a species of bird particularly well-suited for carrying communications between distant locations. As adults they average fifteen centimeters in height, have an elongated neck and a long, slender body. They range in color from all white to nearly all black, with most having an attractive pattern of muted, neutral colors, in varying shades of brown, gray, and even the occasional iridescent green. They have a pronounced wattle that usually has a dusting of white on top. Their legs are unfeathered, and black in color, as is their beak. The adult beak runs about five to six centimeters in length. Most have dark red eyes.
Genetics and Reproduction
Offrets are monogamous, and care should be kept to keep mated pairs together. Like other birds, offrets reproduce by laying eggs. They then sit on the nest for two weeks (16 days) until the hatchlings arrive, and another week thereafter. When first born, they are entirely black in color. Their eyes turn red at about one week of age.
Growth Rate & Stages
After the third week, the young offret will typically fly out of the nest. It will reach full size and maturity at about six months, and when well-cared for, will live for approximately twelve years.
Ecology and Habitats
As a domesticated species that performs an essential service for humanity, they require a comfortable loft. They will quickly establish their home location, to which they will always return. Their loft should be elevated, ventilated, and well-protected from predators. A small door and a landing area are ideal, as well as plenty of nesting boxes and roosts inside. They need food, water, and a supplement grit to maintain optimal health. The Athenaeum produces excellent meal and grit for offrets, available for purchase from the Farming and Animal Husbandry department.
Once an offret has an established home, they will instinctively return, even after being gone for very long periods. The known record as I write this is three hundred days.
However, a colony of Offrets is believed to have established itself on the south side of The Prioni mountain range, in The Lost Lands. They have also been spotted in the very highest peaks of the Prioni. Their ability to survive in such locations is a testament to their constitution, and likely also attributable to their uncanny night vision.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Offrets frequently fly through dark and stormy weather, and can see under the most challenging of circumstances. It is theorized that their night vision has some relationship to the color of their eyes being red.
by Clker-Free-Vector-Images
Geographic Distribution
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