Rusty Spearhead
Length: 1 foot long, 2.5 foot wingspan
Description: Out, far beyond the shore of zone 21 a flock of strange, reddish-brown creatures are soaring over the water. Suddenly, one rises and lets out a shrill screech, the others follow even as it enters a nosedive to the water below. They hit the water and plunge downward several meters before the lucky among them rise with thrashing killislonts on their beaks and fly up to feed.
The scene described was a flock of a once though dead lineage of flyinh Oslontarians , Silvanacus mirumis, the Rusty Spearhead.
It soars on large leathery wings, is equipped with a fluid-sucking proboscis used for feeding, claspers for mating, and large eyes for and Oslontarian.
The Rusty Spearhead has two horns on its proboscis rather than one to more effectively impale prey. It has a greatly reduced tail, removing a lot of drag and allowing it to fly more efficiently and at higher average speeds. It uses this skill for an incredible feat: plunge-feeding, its skull is thick to protect against the high forces involved but the proboscis breaks up most of the force before it gets to vital organs. The brain is mostly unprotected for this niche apart from a small sac of fluid in the back of the skull. Its colors have also changed greatly, now blending in more with the clay soils inland where they will scrape out small 2-3 feet long burrows to roost in at night.
Breeding is done in the water, typically a couple meets by tossing around a Killislontus carcass together to bond and eat. The real test then comes when the female plunges downwards, the male must follow her and meet her underwater to prove he is able to dive and catch food, meaning he is fit. They will mate as they float up to the surface. If he is unable to reach her she will look for another mate. The young are herbivorous, drinking floral fluids from Ultraplortatus spp., before moving to the coasts of zone 21 to hunt, diving from the surface of the water to chase Killislontids to eat, but will gradually transition to plunge-feeding in deeper water as they grow.
