River Starling

Summary

The River Starling is a small bird that lives in colonies above and around water, and fly in large flocks as the sun begins to dip under the horizon. Before the spread of humanity across the face of Tiorath and West Sethir they chose thickly wooded streams for their homes, but the spread of humanity has offered them a range of sturdier nesting sites, such as balconies and bridges that overhang the waterways alongside their dwellings.

Description

The River Starling has a black body with brown underwings and streaks of red-brown on their underbellies. They have a blue bib, and streaks of blue that stretch from above their eyebrows all the way down to their wing tips. The blue is brightest on the males, and is visible on the edges on their tales. They have broad, stubby tail feathers that develop larger forked tails on the males during the spring, in time for the breeding season.
They live in large colonies, roosting on both natural and artificial structures overhanging sources of fresh water. These colonies are spread across Tiorath and the western Sethiri breaks, and make their presence known at dusk every night in spring and early summer. They fly in coordination in massive, loud flocks, filling the night with their calls.

Uses and Relevance

River Starlings and their relatives have proven to be massive tourist attractions amongst visitors from the East, and draw in large crowds during the spring and summer. Despite the difficulties of travelling from East to West and the expensive nature (by the standards of most denizens of Tor'saarn) of boat rides between these regions, many citizens of the eastern nations choose to make a pilgrimage every couple of years to see the birds annual flights.

Size

10-20cm

Animal Family

Bird (Starling)

Diet

Seeds, grasses and insects

Preferred Biomes

Freshwater waterways

Regions of Habitation

Native: Tiorath and the Sethiri Breaks Introduced: None Known Domesticated: None Known