Mustwing

"Did you see those mustwings soar past? They're so quiet!"

— An explorer

A Sight in the Fall

Resting in the branches of maple trees, you may find dozens and dozens of mustwings. These small, sleek feathered birds are often mistaken for leaves due to their size and green colouration. Much like woodpeckers, mustwings peck their way through the bark of trees, however they do this in the aim to get a good drink of maple sap. Their diet mainly consists of maple sap and insects, with the occasional berry as well.
Their call sounds eerily like a refreshing spring breeze, commonly confusing people who are walking nearby, as an entire flock of mustwings may swoop past them like leaves on the wind. If you are ever lucky enough to witness this spectacle, know that the mustwings will not harm you, they are simply flying to a new tree.

Released in the Air

A commonly told story about mustwings is that if you approach one of their trees quietly and rest your hands on the trunk of the tree, your worries and concerns will flow from you into the tree and through the tree into the mustwings. After a moment, if the mustwings then take off soaring through the air effortlessly, your worries have been accepted by them and they take them on themselves to let you recover from your pains. Regardless of if this story is true or not, many people recount the weight they used to feel lessen as the birds took flight.
Mustwings only reproduce every couple of years, however this isn't much of an issue as they have up to eight eggs in their nests when they do breed. They make extreme efforts to ensure nearly all their hatchlings survive until maturity, though they rarely attack any creature.

Lifespan

6 to 8 years

Average Weight

3 to 5 grams

Average Length

3 to 4 inches

Average wingspan

5 inches