Cockatrice

A cockatrice is a small, stupid, aggressive and ill-tempered creature found typically in temperate plains areas.
Legends state that a cockatrice emerged from an egg parented by a cockerel and a toad. Despite whether the legend is true, cockatrices will nest in clutches up to a dozen.
Their diet consists typically of seeds and petrified insects.
Unlike other creatures that petrify, the cockatrice can only cause petrification from its bite. This is the creature's greatest defense against threats to its nest and clutch. Ironically, it seems weasels and ferrets – which have been known to steal cockatrice eggs – have a resistance to the paralysis toxin.