Harpy

Birds of prey with the head of a woman. Harpies have been known to terrify and even wipe out humanoid populations entirely. Their intellectual capacity is yet unknown. Harpies are capable of mimicking local dialects and sounds to lure prey but do not seem to have the capacity to form language or communicate complex ideas on their own.

Origin/Ancestry

The myths attributed to harpy creation invariably involve a beautiful woman and a scorned deity or powerful sorcerer who inflicts the woman with an ancestral curse. The specifics vary from region to region but the wide-spread consistencies within the myths continues to puzzle to modern anthropologists.
Some modern scholars theorize that the first harpy was formed when a powerful spell nested inside the brain of a mockingbird, changing its physiology while also enabling its strange method of reproduction.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The specific aesthetics of harpies vary from region to region, but all harpy's have two features in common.
A. A head resembling that of a non-specific local humanoid woman. The harpies in a given area will have typical local skin-tones, hair styles, and facial bone structures. At least one breed of harpy has been witnessed to have facial tattoos specific to a local native tribe, but research attempts to learn more about the aforementioned breed were unsuccessful (and quite lethal for the unfortunate researchers).
B. The body of a bird of prey. Interestingly, the "bird" physiology of harpies are not restricted to imitating only local birds of prey. The observed size and type of bird has been known to vary wildly even within the same "family" of harpy, with seemingly little regard to local fauna. Case in point, one harpy observed in Arkhasia had the body and size of a condor, despite condors being local only to the arid lands hundreds of miles to the south of Arkhasia.
Authors note: Comparison of harpy physiology to that of the common sphynx has been met with disdain by the sphynx population, who have banned either verbal or written comparisons. Those who violate this ban are invariably cursed. I had to write these last two sentences with my tongue.

Genetics and Reproduction

The harpy reproductive method is unique in that it is parasitic and seemingly dependent on local population of humanoid males.
Harpy's will choose what is nominally referred to a 'mate' in the form of a male from the local humanoid population. The methodology of mate selection will vary, with some harpy breeds choosing males of above average physical strength and musculature while others choose males of above average intellect. Regardless of the methodology, harpies will compete with each other for "mates" as a single male seems unable to be selected for more than one harpy. It is unknown why a male cannot "father" multiple harpies.
Once a "mate" is chosen, a harpy will steal an item of some nostalgic importance to the victim such as a childhood toy, religious idol, or musical instrument. The method by which a harpy knows what the "mate" considers important is unknown, but a common theory is that it gathers this information using it's oracularus.
Once in possession of this item, a harpy will ritually destroy or desecrate the object. After completing this process a harpy will lay an egg one month later.

Growth Rate & Stages

Harpy chicks look like normal female babies of the native humanoid species.
Harpy chicks will become adults once fed the brains of an intelligent creature. They do this by "shedding" their skin much like a cicada, and emerge from the husk fully formed. A harpy chick not fed brains will age at the rate of the humanoid it resembles, but it will always experience cannibalistic tendencies and will lack the ability to communicate by any method other than mimicking the sounds it hears.

Ecology and Habitats

Harpies nest in similar circumstances to the local bird populations. Most harpies nest in trees, but those that dwell in urban setting will make nests on rooftops or attached to extruding building structures.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Harpies are exclusively carnivorous creatures, seeming to prefer the flesh of intelligent creatures.

Biological Cycle

Harpies tend not to die of old age and their violent nature means study of their exact lifespan is difficult.
There is a popular myth of a harpy matriarch who lived for exactly one century before her body exploded into flames, leaving behind ash and a single phoenix egg.

Additional Information

Social Structure

There is some sort of family structure that harpies adhere to, with the most aggressive harpy (called the "matriarch") getting claims to the first bite of any food captured by those in it's immediate family.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Sometimes captured and hunted for sport or entertainment in gladiatorial arenas.

Facial characteristics

Dependent on local population of humanoids.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Nearby any humanoid settlement with both an acceptable bird and male humanoid population.

Average Intelligence

Harpies appear to have intellect comparable to other magical beasts such as pegasi or griffons.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Harpies are observed to have excellent telescopic vision and hearing capabilities, able to mimic dialect on the ground heard from over 3000 meters in the air.
A popular myth is that harpies have the ability to discern spoken truths and lies. This is untrue, though they have been confirmed to have another unique ability potentially valuable to law enforcement- a harpy can always invariably identify a humanoid that will commit murder within a ten-day. The origin of its divinatory ability is believed to be a strange organ found behind the eye known as an "oracularus".
The deterministic nature of this ability and it's potential use is hotly debated by law-mages, lawyers, and philosphers.