Keqna Birds are a creature native to the planet of
Epra. Despite having the word bird in its name, the species is not a bird and they are more closely related to
Feathered Lizards than to any bird species.
Appearance
Keqna Birds are tall slender creatures, often being ten feet when at full height, with long thin necks that kink into an S shape and narrow faces. They have two pairs of long slender legs with the front legs being slightly shorter and are kept tucked up against the chest when they are not walking. Each hand has four digits. They walk in a pentapedal gait, using their long tails like an extra leg for balance.
They have small round eyes with yellow irises and pinpoint pupils and long narrow jaws filled with rows of small razor-sharp teeth. They have no external ears with the sound reaching the inner ear via small holes on either side of the head.
They are covered in small thin feathers and are most often brown or beige in color, with darker markings around the head and along the spine. Their feathers tend to be slightly longer and fluffier along the chest and back.
Biology
Diet
Keqna Birds are carnivorous, hunting and eating mostly fish, lizards, and other creatures found in shallow water and along shorelines. They hunt by lying in wait, crouching over water or shoreline until their prey is in reach before striking out with their long necks and catching it in their razor-sharp teeth. They are solitary hunters and will go off to hunt by themselves rather than working in groups.
Behavior
Keqna Birds live in flocks, called colonies, that live and nest in the same area and are quite social with each other even if they hunt by themselves. They build nests, using grass and shredded bark to line them, and will sleep with their mate or if they are still young with their parents and siblings.
Keqna Birds are monogamous and mate for life, staying with their mate when they are not hunting. They are egg layers and have clutches of five or more soft-shelled eggs. The parents raise the offspring until they are big enough to care for themselves and they go off by themselves. Offspring will often stay in the same colony that they were born in but some may move to different ones.
Keqna birds are good swimmers and enjoy bathing and playing in water.
Uses
Keqna Birds were historically hunted for their meat and feathers but this is no longer very common and most people prefer Feathered Lizard products. Their eggs may also be cooked and eaten, especially in
Tiq'en cuisine where their eggs are preferred over Feathered Lizard eggs.
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