Lynx Hawk
While the Cat Hawk (Opiraptor gatoeidius) nearly became extinct due to A. kinthus and E. sectator competing with it but tiny fragmented populations managed to survive in isolated areas. The fact the species nearly died out proved to be their saving grace when the Wyvern Plague (Ventricapillus hemolaimus) swept across Adero. With the extinction of almost every other predatory wyvern in the zone, the populations of Cat Hawk began to recover with the extinction of some of their former competition. As they began to grow in number, they were exposed to the Wyvern Plague becoming a new species in the process.
3 feet long, 1.7 feet tall, 6.9 foot wingspan
The Lynx Hawk (Opiraptor floccumauris) are larger and take down larger prey. Being nocturnal, the Lynx Hawk will often perch on large Polyphs such as A. akakius or E. phylloakidus to scan for prey. The eyes are proportionally large to see at night.
The Lynx Hawk will fly down and stalk the prey through cover. The spots on their skin and plumage still help break up their outline and thus make them difficult for prey to spot until it’s too late to escape. Once it pounces on a small muscal, they pin it down with the claws on their wings, with a sickle claw on the first finger that is adapted for this purpose. After subduing the muscal, the Lynx Hawk uses their short and powerful jaws to deliver a killing bite. While it mainly hunts down prey, the Lynx Hawk will also feed on carrion when the opportunity presents itself.
For the Wyvern Plague the Lynx Hawk produces antibodies that block out the pathogen, giving the species tolerance to the disease. For species like T. savannuserta the Lynx Hawk relies on their ability to fly away to escape.
The Lynx Hawk uses the feathers on their head and cheeks as well as the fatty dewlap to show off its health to potential mates. It partially buries 2-4 eggs in the sand and guards them until they hatch, which takes 4-5 weeks. The parents raise the semi-altricial young together, bringing them food by day and warming them at night with their wings, until they are around 2-3 months old and can hunt for themselves. As their young can’t fly in their first 6 weeks of life, Lynx Hawk parents will choose fight over flight when facing a threat like a group of T. savannuserta.
The Lynx Hawk has orange feathers along their cheeks, neck, and the tip of their stubby tail in the form of a tail fan. Any exposed skin, such as the neck folds, are brown in color while the feathers covering most of the body are tan. Additionally, dark brown spots still cover the body.
