Ecor (eh-core)

Basic Information

Anatomy

Ecors are small birds, usually around 20 cm (7.87 in) from beak to tail. Almost half of this length is tail. Ecors have two feet with three front claws and one back claw, and two wings. Their tail is complex and is used both for flight, balance, and communication. They have stubby beaks and small eyes.

Growth Rate & Stages

Ecors lay either a single egg or a pair. Their eggs are small and range from gray to brown, though most tend to be a soft gray. They are usually speckled.
An Ecor hatches approximately four weeks after the egg is laid. It has fluffy down but no true feathers at birth. Over the next 2-4 weeks, the hatchling must be fed by its parents as it develops feathers.
Once feathers are fully developed, the young Ecor leaves the nest. It will join with a different flock and eventually find a mate.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Ecors are omnivorous. Their main food sources are various bugs, seeds, and berries. Flying insects are a common prey.

Behaviour

Ecors have strong flock instincts and tend to travel and live together in a group. A flock is usually made up of several mated pairs and a few younger birds. Flocks usually nest together. Ecor nests are built in vantage points, high in trees or sometimes within a thatched roof. Sometimes, a flock will take over a barn or an orchard, protecting it fiercely until the babies fledge. A mated pair will build the nest together.
Once fledglings are ready to leave the nest, they leave the flock they were raised in and join a different one. Flocks are not very territorial except when protecting nests, but they do not tend to mix.
Ecors are prey animals and can fly very quickly. They are able to hover in the air, but not for an extended period of time. This behaviour is used to spot bugs in the grass below or as part of communication. Ecors land on the ground briefly and rarely, only to collect nesting materials or catch food.
Ecors do not migrate, but do sometimes travel in search of better food sources or to escape predators.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Ecors have extremely limited hearing, and therefore use sight to identify threats or other information in the environment. They have extremely good sight, including in the dark. Ecors communicate through complex dance-like movements, and use biting or tapping items to get the attention of others. Their dances include movement in the air, splaying of tail and wing feathers, and bobbing head. Researchers are not yet able to identify specific meanings, but Ecors continue to be studied. Although they make various chirping sounds, they cannot actually hear their own calls and therefore do not use them for communication. Instead, they are used almost subconsciously and can be used to interpret how the Ecor is feeling.

The Ecor At A Glance:

Lifespan

6-7 years

Average Length

20 cm (7.87 in)

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Ecors are soft brown, with striped markings on their wings. The feathers around the beak lighten to white, and a patch around and below their eyes darkens to nearly black. Their tails are banded, which is theorized to have evolved as part of their systems of communication. Male Ecors have dark beaks, and female Ecors have lighter pinkish beaks.