Pocklet
Pocklets are small passerine birds that live in the grasslands of the moon Two, orbiting Echos in the Sao Solar System.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Adult pocklets have a reddish body, with black markings on their heads and around their necks. They have a light orange belly, with some brown specks towards the bottom of their belly and between their legs. Their large eyes are surrounded with a small white ring. Their legs are long, and end in 5 toes, 4 facing forwards, and 1 facing backwards. Their claws are sharp and slightly curved, allowing them to grip onto branches and grasses.
Sexual Dimorphism
Male pocklets are considerably bigger; they have a brighter plumage, larger white rings on their eyes and more prominent brown specks on their bellies. Females have a dull colouration, and blend much better with the trees in which they nest. This is so when they are nesting in tree cavities, they don't draw attention from predators.Genetics and Reproduction
Female pocklets lay eggs once a year, in large cavities in trees. These cavities are picked out by males during mating season, and they will attempt to find a very big cavity, with a small entrance, as it is ideal for nesting. If females are pleased with the location, then both the male and female will go in search of nesting material such as sticks, moss, feathers, fur, anything soft and small. Once the nest has been built, females will lay 6-8 eggs and incubate them for 3 weeks.
Growth Rate & Stages
Pocklets are a very fast grower. They grow to their adult size in around 4 weeks, with a full set of adult feathers by the time they leave the nest. Sadly, once the chicks leave the nest, parents do not care for them and do not try to defend them from predators. While they are within the nest, pocklet parents will fight to the death for their children. They have even been recorded scaring off saffronbeaks from their nests, a large predator that is known to prey on pocklets.
Ecology and Habitats
Pocklets are a common sight in grasslands around the northern hemisphere of Two. These birds form the famous "red skies"; a phenoma in which massive murmurations of these birds block out the Sun, and instead all that is visible are these red birds. Pocklet murmurations can be anywhere from 100,000 to a couple billion of these tiny birds. Pocklets spend a lot of time diving in the grassy fields looking for small insects to eat, commonly grazers. They are also one to be found in forests, chirping from the treetops.
Dietary Needs and Habits
These birds are insectivores, feeding on a range of small creatures. Their most common prey item is the grazer, a very common and invasive insect that can eat entire grasslands in their swarms. They actively forage for their insect food during the days, running through long grasses and chasing down fast moving prey. They also like to eat the slow moving aurs, large invertebrates that provide food for one bird for days.
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