Stavis Raptor

In truth, the stavis raptor looks more like a reptile than a bird, as it has no beak and has more scales than feathers. However, due to its avian bones and the hard shell eggs they lay, they are classified as birds. Their average height is 1'-1'5" (30-45 cm). They have long, thin tails composed of 3-5 thick feathers and have clawed, six-toed feet. Their grey feathers are only found on their heads and backs, no where else on their bodies. Their heads are reptilian and their mouths are filled with razor sharp teeth, as they are carnivorous. Their eyes are a deep orange and are very small. The stavis has four limbs: two stubby, fat, featherless wings and two muscular, bone dense legs with precariously thin calves. The wings of the stavis appear to have formed in previous evolutions of this bird and were used to fly. Now, however, they have grown short and would not be able to lift the creature off the ground, they don't even glide. The joints of their wings have small claws, so it is assumed that they are evolving currently into a land based predator. This is confirmed by the denser bones found in their legs only, which allow them to run in quick bursts and jump incredibly high.

The stavis raptors are pack animals and they nest in large groups. Every day the smaller females of the species will lay about six eggs. Later in the evening, the males will return to the nests and inseminate the eggs. There is no mating ritual as they do not take mates, instead, multiple males will inseminate the same egg if it is not clear that it has already been.   After the eggs are inseminated, 42 days later the eggs will hatch. It is not uncommon for them to never hatch due to the jostling that they encounter in the dens, even with their hard shells. This is why so many eggs are laid. When an egg begins to rot, the females will eat the egg, which is why the females never leave the nests after they mature, there is always enough food brought in either by the males or from the large amount of rotting eggs. From a clutch of six eggs, only one or two will hatch and the others begin to rot within a week of being laid.

Egg Stage

   

Chick Stage

Once the hatched stavis chick is dry and fluffed up they can safely move about the den. These first weeks of life will see an amazing rate of development and growth. The chick weighs just over 1oz (.02 kg) at three days and by week number six will weigh 2lbs (0.9 kg).   The chick is initially covered in a fine down coat. They will start to lose this coat at 6-8 days of age – this first little molt will be finished by week number six. The second small molt will start around 7-12 weeks. At this point the majority of the feathers will not regrow and the skin will harden into scales. The coloring of the scales on the body will start to differentiate the boys from the girls. Chicks learn things very quickly especially if they are raised by a broody lavina. She will teach them all the good things to eat, things to stay away from and dangers to be aware of.  

Adolescent (Laci/Female and Mascen/Male) Stage

A chick becomes a laci or mascen at eight weeks of age and lasts for around 24 weeks.   This can be considered the adolscent stage – they look weird and are quite unsure of their place in the den. It will be during this time that the sexual differences will become apparent. It is also the time that they start to assert themselves and find their place in the nest.   Every stavis knows their place in the den. Both the males and the females will engage in challenging behavior, such as puffing out their chests, stare downs, and pecking. This behavir rarely results in serious injurt. Once the youngsters are about two thirds the size of the adult stavis they will now have to learn their place in a newer and larger den order.   Mascens may try to challenge the other mascerts but they are usually quickly and firmly put in their place and will remain subordinate until the head mascert starts to fail. The same will happen with the lacis. Older and higher ranking lacinas will ensure that the den order is kept and the lacis will have to work their way up gradually.  

Adult (Lacina/Female and Mascert/Male) Stage

Now we come to the final stage of their life cycle. A mascen becomes a mascert once he reaches sexual maturity and he will begin to leave the den on hunts with the other mascerts. Lacinas usually start to lay around the 40 week mark on average. Their first eggs will be small, infrequent and possibly misshapen; this will not change until they are about 50 weeks. After their first clutch is lain, the lacina will not leave the den again and will die there. The average chicken can live anywhere from 2 to 4 years.

The stavis raptor can be found in the forests of Zokrios generally, though they also have packs throughout Viora, just fewer due to the harsh territory. Within these forests, the mascert stavis hunt their prey in packs and pick apart the bodies, bringing the meat back to their dens for the lacinas and young to feast on. Because of this, if they are not kept in check, they can devastate entire ecosystems, which is why it was made illegal to domesticate them or bring them over seas.   Domestication History