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- S T A R R Y   S H E A R B I R D -
"The Guiding Star"

H A B I T A T

The Starry Shearbird nests on the rocky cliffs of the Sunken Lands' smaller islands, sharing the space with various other common seabirds. Though some domesticated  Starry Shearbirds actually live alongside people.

P H Y S I O L O G Y

Though most Starry Shearbirds are around 1.5ft/45cm in height, they can be as tall as 2ft/60cm in height. Outstretched, they have a wingspan of approximately 7 to 8 feet/2 to 2.5 meters. Their body and wings are not too different from most Seabirds, aerodynamic, made for long journeys. A wild Starry Shearbird's plumage is sleek, colored in light greys with white blotches. Dark blue accents the tips of their wing and tail feathers, as well as around their yellow eyes. Their beaks are slim and hooked, similar in shape and color to a seagull. Their feet are webbed and just as amber as their beak. Most domesticated Starry Shearbirds have been bred to have a colored plumage. Some are white, brown, blue, or black, though always with the same dark blue accents. Their eggs are a light blue with black specs, and their Shearchicks are colored in greys that camouflage them against the rocks.

At night, however, the Starry Shearbird reveals its secret. Hidden beneath their grey plumage are bioluminescent down feathers called "Stars", and by puffing up slightly, they reveal these Stars as white glowing dots spanning their entire body, including their wings. When they stop puffing up, the Stars are hidden again.  The Stars of some domesticated Starry Shearbirds can be a light yellow, turquoise, or blue so that their owners can distinguish them from any other Shearbird. 

ㅤDiet: Piscivores, they eat primarily marine animals

ㅤLifespan: 30 years

[Mating] Every adult Starry Shearbird mates in late spring on the rock cliffs they call their home; quite the busy spectacle. Even domesticated Starry Shearbirds will leave their owners for 4 to 5 months to mate and raise their Shearchick; afterwards, they'll return. Preventing a domesticated Starry Shearbird from mating will permanently aggravate it towards you. The Starry Shearbird's egg takes about 2 months to hatch, and the Shearchick is raised for 2 to 3 months.

H I S T O R Y

They were once domesticated for their sense of direction and smell. Seafarers who owned a Starry Shearbird would follow their starry glow at night as they led them through the darkness. Though most still used the normal navigation methods, alongside Starry Shearbirds, just to be safe. As for their sense of smell, they were also used as scent hounds of the seas, able to locate scents kilometers away. There are some tall tales of them leading their ship into its demise. Some saw them as alluring bad omens, while others saw them as guiding stars. But, as the old civilizations crumbled, the Starry Shearbird acclimated back to the wilderness. Until the refugees of the Eastern Kingdom arrived, triggering the remnants of their domestication. Presently, only a few are pets, while a vast majority live as wild animals.

B E H A V I O U R 
 
Starry Shearbirds vary greatly in personality. Some are skittish, some sassy, some goofy, but all of them are as intelligent as a crow and sometimes just as petty. Wronging one will cause all Starry Shearbirds to harass you, steal from you, and peck at you. Meanwhile, doing good to a Starry Shearbird will result in them giving you gifts of fish and shiny trinkets. They sleep in several short naps both day and night, even while flying. They fly long distances and lock their wings to do so. In the wild, they use their Stars to attract mates and to guide a flock at night. They evolved a comforting reaction to things that glow in the dark, since it means they're near their flock. That also means they're comforted by candlelight, fireflies, and other glows. Domesticated Starry Shearbirds can also learn various tricks, such as fetching, rolling, sitting, and even stealing.

A B I L I T I E S

[Flight] They can fly great distances and can lock their wings in place, making them look like they're effortlessly shearing through the air.

[Sense of Smell] They have a great sense of smell, but they must be trained to use it. Holding an object to a trained Starry Shearbird will either have them do nothing, or they'll lead you to where they can pick up the same smell in a radius of three kilometers.

[Stars] They possess a hidden layer of bioluminescent down feathers called "Stars", which they can reveal in little spots by puffing up. From a distance, it looks like a bunch of glowing stars soaring through the skies. If they're fast enough, it can appear as if they leave behind glowing trails like a shooting star.

W E A K N E S S E S

They're weak to anything a bird would be weak to.

Y I E L D S

Shearbird Stars - Fluffy, down feathers that glow in the dark.

i wanted more oceanic animals.