Bird

Birds, magical or mundane, hold an honored place in many peoples' stories. These notes cover the kinds most often met.

Blood hawks hunt humanoids in flocks, fight on even when losing, and males kill for gems to line nests and attract mates.

Eagles dive from over 100 feet at double flying speed, using talons only, for +2 to hit and double damage. They are never surprised, mate for life at fixed nests (rich grounds may hold 1d8+4), and eat small game, fish and fresh carrion, never humanoids, though brownies should be careful. Giant eagles (10 feet tall, 20-foot wings) gain +4 and double claw damage diving more than 50 feet, can be surprised only at night or in the lair (10%), nest in colonies of up to 20 pairs, and are trainable; eggs fetch 500 to 800 gp.

Falcons, faster and easier to train than hawks, sell for about 1,000 gp. Hawks (wings to 5 feet) dive from 100 feet or more for +2 and double talon damage but no beak attack that round, then peck and rake. A beak hit has a 25% chance to strike an eye, blinding for 1d10 rounds with a 10% chance of losing that eye for good. Hawks are never surprised and attack anything near the nest. Fledglings fetch 500 gp, trained hawks up to 1,200 gp.

Owls attack people only if scared or magically commanded. They have 120-foot infravision, four times normal hearing, and silent flight (-6 to victims' surprise). Unsurprisable at night, they suffer -3 to surprise if found roosting by day. A swoop from 50 feet gives +2 and double talon damage with no bite. Giant owls cannot swoop but fly as silently, may befriend humans, and guard young fiercely; eggs fetch 1,000 sp, chicks 2,000 sp. Talking owls look ordinary, know Common and six other tongues, detect good, and have Wisdom 21 with its spell immunities. One tests a party by faking a broken wing; if treated kindly, it aids a good champion for 1d3 weeks.

The boobrie is a 12-foot giant stork that eats giant catfish and, when food is short, snakes, lizards and giant spiders, which has left it immune to all poisons. It waits motionless in reeds for hours (-3 to victims' surprise).

Eblis are evil, stork-shaped birds with black needle beaks; their casters know some Common. Each village of 2d4 hidden straw huts, found only by a dedicated ranger or animal lore search, follows one caster with 2d4 spells a day at 3rd level, picked by 1d8 rolls on a short list (duplicates allow extra uses). Feather oil grants +1 on saves vs. fire and cuts fire damage by 1 per die. They crave shiny things, take jewel bribes, and ambush travelers for them.

Swans haunt rivers, lakes and marshes, spot intruders 90% of the time, and 10% of swan encounters include swanmays in bird form.

Condors (3 to 6 feet, 13- to 20-foot wings) even sleep aloft; chicks and eggs fetch 30-60 gp, and trained ones serve as scouts, retrievers or mounts for tiny riders, carrying 80 pounds. Flightless birds include the ostrich (8 feet, 300 pounds, 40 mph, kicks for 1d8), the emu (6 feet, 130 pounds) and the rhea (3 feet, 80 pounds, three toes, short tail).

Ravens and crows fly in flocks, grab and peck, and have a 10% chance per attack to take an eye. Lone birds are scouts, so flocks are never surprised by day. Giant ravens are trainable guards and messengers able to carry a halfling. Huge ravens are spiteful and may serve evil masters, though a raven familiar's nature follows its master.

Vultures (2 to 3 feet, greasy blue-black, bald pink heads) wait for prey to stop moving; six or more may mob a feebly stirring victim but withdraw if it fights back. They feed on the dead, sleeping, held or unconscious once others are 20 feet away, and resist disease and organic poison. Giant vultures (3 to 5 feet) can be trained to hunt a chosen species; eggs and chicks fetch 30-60 gp.