Threshal
From Mizahar Lore
| Falyndar Fauna | |
 | |
| Frequency | Common |
|---|---|
| Threat level | Low |
| Major features | Clawed wing appendages that aid movement |
| Abilities | Able to digest normally toxic substances |
| Most common in | jungle wilds |
Quick Stats
Size: 3 feet in length Wingspan: 6 feet Lifespan: 5 years in the wild, 10+ in captivity
Characteristics
The Threshal are a common sight among the jungles of Falyndar. Their diet often consists of fresh greenery and berries, but they have been known to feed on fungus that grows on the forest floor. These birds are prized for their ability to digest and break down plants and fungus which are considered highly toxic to other species. When they eat toxic materials their bodies quickly digest the substance, isolating and neutralizing the harmful compounds before allowing the release of these harmful chemical's in the form of noxious gas which gives the Threshal their characteristic manure like stench. Because of their diet Threshal meat is often harmful to other animals to eat, and so they have few natural predators. Both Dhani and Myrians hunt and kill these birds on sight in an effort to control their growing populations.
Threshal meat is considered a delicacy because of the bird's ability to incorporate tastes from various plants into their own bodies after digestion. Myrians especially have been known to keep flocks of these birds, clipping their wing so they cannot fly away, and raising them on particular diets to achieve a particular flavor to the meat.
The claws of the Threshal are large and well developed for grasping the branches on which their perch, and these birds even have three additional claws on each wing which they use in conjunction with their clawed feet to 'crawl' from branch to branch. These creatures gather in flocks of twenty or more and are highly protective of each other and their young, and when a predator attacks the entire flock will often surround the attacker, screeching, squawking and groaning to confuse and hopefully frighten off the predator before it can do any harm. While not openly aggressive unless provoked, there have been some notable attacks by these creatures especially in the breeding period, but no deaths or serious injuries have ever been reported.
Social Structure
Male and female Threshal are similar in their looks and characteristics, but oddly enough it is the females who prepare the nest and entice a male to join her when the time comes to add to the new generation. This species is able to reproduce at any time in the year, however, their peak reproductive periods come about in early spring and mid fall, perhaps due to the slight variance in the temperature at those times and the close proximity to the winter season.
The average clutch is 3-4 eggs with most offspring usually surviving to maturity unless killed by predation. Chicks reach full maturity within their first year of life and receive parental supervision until that time.