Hexaitos
Habitat
Open woodland savanna of sub-Saharan Africa. Scattered acacia and mopane trees over broad grassy plains, with enough open sky. Warm and seasonally dry. Also bush savannah but rarely steppe or grassland and also rarely in heavily forested or very mountainous areas.
Appearance
Bateleur Eagle (Terathopius ecaudatus). Largely true to the actual species in appearance, though notably larger than a wild individual. Still within the range of a large eagle, not dramatically bigger.
Predominantly black feathering across the body with a warm chestnut back. The most distinctive features are the red face and yellow beak as well as the unusual and asymmetric wings: one side carries the grey-white secondary feathers characteristic of females, the other the all-dark patterning of males. The asymmetry is visible both in flight and also when perched. Face, as mentioned before, is a vivid red-orange, the beak yellow with a black tip and the legs and feet are also red-orange. Eyes a deep blue.
The feathers on top of its head (crest-like) can rise up dramatically, especially when alert, listening or intrigued. Tail is very short, nearly not visible at all. Wingtips extend well past it when perched and even in flight you can hardly see it. A small tag on its left leg that reads Hexaitos.
Characteristics / general infos
The asymmetric wings reflect its non-binary identity. Wings also very sensitive, careful and gentle when handling / touching them.
Tail is extremely short, nigh-invisible. Is quite well-aware of this and does have a bit of “tail envy”, so to speak.
Crest feathers are highly expressive, rising dramatically when snuggling or when alert, lying flat during more neutral or negative moments. Feathers fluff up all the time, particularly when snuggling or listening intently. Head tilted side to side when listening also.
Vocalisations are mostly soft cheeping rather than the sharp screech the species is capable of. Often copies the “meow”-like calls of Common Buzzards. Generally quiet.
Quieter and more subdued than other forms. Tends to surface during moments of lower confidence, fear, or sadness. More content to be close to others than at the centre of things.
Preferences
Snuggling. Flying, soaring especially. Fluffing up. Being close to someone trusted. Hunting.
Comments about the tail.