Kalgean Gryphons - Species Concept

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his is an older critter species of mine. I created them a few years back for a simple reason... the Azure Wheel universe neede some cute birdies. And the Kalgean gryphons are cute enough to induce diabeetus.

Shown here are the three subspecies of Kalgean gryphon. The three subspecies together like this is something that would never happen in the wild as they live in totally different biomes. A display like this would most likely be seen in a zoo exhibit.

Yes, you may has one as a pet... but they won't exist for another 500,000 years so they'll have to be on backorder for a little while.

General Info About Kalgean Gryphons:
While they share the name of the mighty Theran Gryphon, Kalgean Gryphons are not "true" gryphons. They evolved from a conure-like species. Evolution blessed them with an extra pair of legs and long prehensile tail to aid them in climbing as well as a pair of ears to help pinpoint the locations or predators. They are small critters, only a little bigger then a budgie.

Hidden inside the tail plumage is a barbed spike that secretes a mild venom. It is not a deadly venom... it just hurts. A lot. This is meant to discourage predators. The barb is removed from all pet Kalgean gryphons.

The feathers of a Kalgean gryphon are very soft and fine, giving their bodies a velvet-like texture.

As far as smarts goes, these creatures are highly intelligent. They have been frequently observed using tools to help crack open nuts as well as throwing rocks and twigs at predators to distract them from eating members of their flock. Some argue that this species is borderlining sentience. Whether or not this is true, they will never gain full sentience as there is usually room for only one native sentient species on a planet, so as long as the Ani-Gathier are around the Kalgean Gryphon will never be a sentient species.

They make great pets as long as they are raised by a gentle hand. Domesticated Kal-gryphons are very affectionate towards their sentient "flock" and can easily mimic speech like a parrot.

If you have ever been around a parrot, then you should already have a good idea of their personalities. They have a no nonsense attitude and won't take crap from anyone, but at the same time can be very gentle and loving. They tend to bond with one individual or a small circle of friends and will be very protective of them.

Diet
They primarily eat nuts, and seeds but they also love fruit. Particularly fruits that are very juicy. The seeds of certain types of fruit cannot grow unless they have passed through the gastronomical system of a Kalgean gryphon.

Calls
Kalgean Gryphons are very vocal and have a variety of sounds.
* When happy, they will emit a "fweep" noise.
* When overly excited, they make an "ungh-ungh-ungh" noise similar to that of a baby African Grey.
* When communicating "Hey look at this!" to the rest of their flock, they will make a warbling "ack-ack-ack" noise like a budgie.
* When angry, they will make a loud "ack" noise that means, "get away from me!". Good for when flockmates are trying to pull out their tailfeathers.

Pandosh Gryphons
Hailing from middle canopies of the mile high trees in the central rainforests of Kalgea, these gryphons are brown with darker brown stripes to help them blend into the sides of the trees. Their skin and the insides of their mouths are black while their innermost toes are longer and upturned, somewhat mimicing the look of a velociraptor's feet.
They have crests on their head as well as pinions at on the rump.

Rylof Gryphons
These gryphons from from high in the mountains that overlook the rainforests. Their feathers are silver-grey with darker stripes. This colorization helps them absorb sunlight.
Their skin and insides of the mouth are a pale pink hue.
They lack the head-crests that the other two subspecies have, but do have white pinions on the rump.

Kiran Gryphons
The largest and rarest of the three Kal-gryphon species because they are very area-specific. These gryphons can only be found in the golden savannah region of south-west Kalgea. Their feathers are primarily white and glossy gold with darker gold stripes.
Their beaks are straighter then the other two species and they have head crests, but no pinions on the rump.
These are the most highly prized pets due to their stunning gold plumage and rarity.