Whistle Hawk

Whistle hawks are a species of predatory bird found only on the island of Paranthas on Ocearia. They prey on the local bird and mammal wildlife, attracting them with their whistling calls.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Whistle hawks have a predominantly white body, with some brown feathers covering their wings, displaying bright patterns with the few orange feathers they have. Their legs are long, and the birds are able to dig their talons deep into tree trunks to reach in and grab small insects, some of their prey. Their legs divide into two just before the feet, and each of their 2 legs divert into 2 separate feet, displaying a total of 5 toes on each foot that circle the ankles. The birds have a bright tail plumage, with a fan shaped tail the tips of the feathers are lined with black, with several eye like pattern, all orange, blue and green. Their beaks are sharp, black, so smooth that it reflects light

Sexual Dimorphism

Whistle hawks have a clear difference between sexes; males are a little bit larger and have an overall brighter plumage, with females having darker feathers and are a little smaller.

Genetics and Reproduction

Whistle hawks build large nests constructed of conifer leaves, small branches, feathers, and moss that they find around in the tops of trees. The height of the nests gives them an advantage because it means the chicks have to learn to fly really fast. Female whistle hawks lay 5-6 eggs every breeding season. These eggs are a light grey colour, and are the size of one's palm. At most, all of the eggs will hatch from a nesting period of 5 weeks. But more often than not 1 or 2 eggs are carried off by predatory bird species that eat their eggs and its insides.

Choosing a mate

During mating season, the pitch of male whistle hawk whistles increases slightly. This doesn't affect attracting prey, but instead it also attracts females. Females will hear these pleas from males, and will seek out the most attractive voice. This is subjective, so it's uncommon for a male not to find a mate.

Nest Building

Like most creatures in the Yonderverse, whistle hawks mate for life. Once they find their mate, they never leave each other, and build a nest together to test their compatibility. If the two can succeed in building a strong nest, then they know they are compatible, but if they can't then they leave each other and find someone new.
These nests are protected by the parents for their entire lives, as the nest represents the relationship between the birds. If the nest breaks at any point, it isn't uncommon for the birds to die of heartbreak.

Growth Rate & Stages

Whistle hawk chicks, because of their vulnerability in their high placed nests, must learn to fly incredibly quickly. Because of this they are able to grow to the size needed to fly in just a week. This first week of their life is known as "naesdi", meaning "speed". If the chicks fall out of the nest before they learn to fly, their life is over. If they somehow survive the fall from their nest high up in the trees, then they become prey to a host of small mammals and large insects that live on the ground.

Ecology and Habitats

Whistle hawks live in and thrive in forest environments, solely on the Ocearian island of Paranthas. They live on the tops of trees, building their nests where they scope out the areas in search of foods. Hiding in branches and between leaves, they call out to small creatures with their whistles, which attracts them and then the birds catch their prey.

Dietary Needs and Habits

These birds are a predatory species, preying on small bird species, mammals, insects. They create a whistling sound from their mouths that attract and lure in their prey, and then the bird kills and eats them.

Geographic Distribution