Owlbear

Owlbears are dangerous monsters that are not to be trifled with. They are far more aggressive than they seem and have a mean temper. They also happen to be animals first and foremost. Though they are born of seemingly magical creations, Owlbears share most of their traits with animals. This means that I would recommend that if you see an Owlbear, leave it alone. Do not approach it, don't try and pet it, especially if its with cubs. They are fiercely territorial. The first encounter I had with an Owlbear left me with scars I still carry to this day, and I wasn't even fighting it! Instead I was caught in a territory dispute between a mother and a male. 
However, I will note that after that fight I was left with something other than pain and scars: a cub. A single cub remained alive after the fight. We took him in, and named him Nutmeg. Nutmeg accompanied us for the rest of the journey, though Chiara took him with her back to Vanreth since the city was no place for him. The journey with Nutmeg taught me a few things about Owlbears. 
First, they have unbeatable appetites. They love to eat and will eat nearly anything you throw at them. Though they enjoy meat mostly, they have no issues with fruits and berries and even some vegetables. 
Second, they grow quite fast. Nutmeg was nearly fully grown in 2 years, which didn't help his appetite. 
Third, Owlbears are loyal and territorial. Nutmeg would snap at those who he thought were even a mild threat towards us and from what Chiara has said, anyone attempting to get near her home that she doesn't know gets a very rude welcome. 

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As I state in a lot of the entries, these are animals and therefore should not be killed just for fun. There are times when Owlbears are dangerous. If their territory is near a trade route or a town, then they need to be dealt with - and sadly their ferocity means fighting may be the only real option. But out in the woods, I would recommend defending yourselves until it backs off or running away. 

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Owlbears have no distinct weaknesses outside of just hitting them a lot. There are reports of Owlbear whose screech itself can hurt but I have never seen one. Instead I recommend keeping distance and getting ground or cover on it. Owlbears are quick but most importantly they are viscous in close quarters. Taking a few steps back, distancing yourself and playing around it is the best. If you must get in close then try and bounce in and out of its range. You will not win a battle of tiring it out, so your strikes must count. If you can hurt a lone Owlbear enough, or give it a big enough fright, then it may just leave you alone. If it has cubs, then you better be prepared to fight on.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Owlbear are the size of large standard bears, featuring a mix of feathers and fur and the face of an owl. Their fur colour and even shape changes from individual to individual, seemingly at random. Nutmeg had a vastly different mixture of owl and bear compared to his mother.

Genetics and Reproduction

We are still very unsure as to whether or not Owlbears lay eggs. We also don't know the mating of Owlbears. Mothers stay with the cubs but no one has ever seen a father stay around, and no one has ever seen them doing the deed.

Growth Rate & Stages

Given enough food is around, an Owlbear will reach full size in close to 2 years.

Additional Information

Domestication

The only reason I was able to train Nutmeg was due to him being found very young. I have spoken to others who have tried to tame owlbears and it was a lot of people with missing fingers.

Average Intelligence

Owlbears can generally understand you the way a dog can, but their communication with you is limited and they don't always listen. They definetly won't in the wild.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Owlbears have quite good night vision and hearing. There's no sneaking up on one, even in the black.

Lifespan

20-25 years