NightHawk

Among the most fearsome avian predators of Glaive, Night Hawks are often mistaken for other members of the corvidae family due to their inky plumage.  Anyone who has heard their piercing cry, however, has no difficulty identifying the Night Hawk. 
With wings that can reach more than 5 span across, Night Hawks are an impressive sight. Strictly nocturnal, they are difficult to observe, and for many years scholars theorized that they were blind, due to the armored carapace that covers part of their head.  That is, however, untrue. Night Hawks are supremely adapted raptors with sharp eyesight. That ocular capability is augmented by a unique type of echolocation. Not only do their piercing cries potentially paralyze their prey with fear, they also resonate in the armored plating of the hawk, giving it additional sensory data on their prey.  
Furthermore, the plating provides a defense against attacks as powerful muscles in the bird's cheeks and neck pull the plates down over its large eyes as it plummets to capture its prey.  Night Hawks are legendary as hunters, and more than a few nobility and adventurers have tried to train them as hunting fowl, but none have been known to have succeeded, although a few accounts suggest Alaric Stoneson hunted with an unbound Night Hawk.
Night Hawks are largely solitary, but they have been observed cooperating with other birds, often protecting smaller species from predators by their very size and presence.  The relationship seems symbiotic, as the smaller birds act as an alert or alarm system for approaching predators and prey. 
Adaptable creatures, Night Hawks will make nests in any crevice or ledge that provides a clear vantage point and has access to prey.  That ability to adapt has led to most of the conflicts between humans and the hawks.  Fiercely protective of their homes, Night Hawks will actively defend their nests against any incursion. Typically inquisitive and often gentle, Night Hawks can become dangerous if challenged over a nesting site or mate.  With their armored heads, sharp talons and razor-edged beaks, the hawks are capable of critically injuring a full grown man.  Removing the birds from inconvenient locations has spawned an entire profession of scarred and determined professionals who often charge exorbitant fees to remove Night Hawks from roofs, signs, and towers.    
The powerful defensive capability of the Night Hawk has inspired The Flock to create a branch of guards named NightHawks with a largely defensive purpose.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Across Glaive

Average Intelligence

Night Hawks are known to be intelligent and inquisitive. Generally, they are cautious and calm unless they or their mates and nest are threatened.

Scientific Name

Buteo Obscurus Stygia

Lifespan

8 years

Conservation Status

Although their exact population is unknown, many consider Night Hawks increasingly endangered as their nests come into conflict with humans and their offspring are killed or destroyed as a nuisance.

Average Length

5 span (about 4-5 feet)

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Night Hawks are lustrous black with an armored carapace across their head, flanked by two long show feathers used in mating rituals.