Dire Gull
Dire gulls are considered to be one of the noblest creatures by the giants of Brunivard.
It is said that the red feathers on the chest of the dire gull date from a time when the first gull was leading the defense of its breeding colony against some hunters. It was pierced in the chest with arrows, but would not yield. Instead, the gull dove to stab out the eye of the hunter, and they both perished together. Other gulls in the colony immediately attacked the remaining hunters, and the hunters fled, leaving their dead behind. Their remains were used to feed the hatchlings in the colony.
For the giant tribes of Brunivard, the dire gull represents adaptability, courage, and the duty to protect even in the face of death.
It is said that the red feathers on the chest of the dire gull date from a time when the first gull was leading the defense of its breeding colony against some hunters. It was pierced in the chest with arrows, but would not yield. Instead, the gull dove to stab out the eye of the hunter, and they both perished together. Other gulls in the colony immediately attacked the remaining hunters, and the hunters fled, leaving their dead behind. Their remains were used to feed the hatchlings in the colony.
For the giant tribes of Brunivard, the dire gull represents adaptability, courage, and the duty to protect even in the face of death.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Dire gulls have white feathers overall, tending to silver-grey on the wingtips and tail, with one red flash on their chests. Their yellow beaks are sturdy and hooked slightly at the tip. The visible skin on their legs and webbed feet is black.
Adult dire gulls are about 1.5m long, with a wingspan of 4-5m.
Genetics and Reproduction
Every spring, dire gulls gather in large colonies on rocky beaches to breed their young. The males will spend several weeks building nests of rocks and seagrass, with no small amount of theft of the choicest rocks. During that time, the females become voracious hunters and scavengers. Over the course of one or two days, the females will take to the nests prepared by their mates and lay clutches of 2-3 eggs. The females will incubate the eggs full time for the next five weeks while the males bring food to support them. No researchers are quite sure why, but typically hatching starts across the whole colony at almost the same time. Shrieks fill the air as young dire gulls smash out of their shells. The female adults leave as the hatching starts and will not return until the following year.
The first dire gull to hatch in each nest typically kills and eats any other nestlings as its first meal. The males will bring more food and drive off most predators for a day or two, until the young dire gulls have their wits about them. They can fly, though awkwardly, almost right out of the shell. On the second day, the nesting colony is full of young gulls trying their wings. On the third day, many young gulls and male adults fly away. By the fourth day, the colony is abandoned, and any young gulls that haven't figured wings out yet are left behind.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Dire gulls are omnivorous and will eat anything that looks like food to them. They are opportunistic and adaptable, eating fruit or berries in season, swarming plowed fields for insects, driving competitors away from carrion, and hunting smaller animals when needed.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Dire gulls have excellent vision, which serves them well in all conditions except the darkest nights.
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