Cockatrice

The prime example of an ornithodesmus (Link between Herpetons and Avians), the cockatrice is an animal known for its unusual ambush tactics and its use of medusa's glance. 
== Behavior ==
Two distinct hunting patterns have been observed for the curious animal, both ambush tactics. In one where it adopts a tracker stance, and will hunt and chase its prey over long distances, another where it will perch atop a cliff and glide onto its target before slashing and tearing using its beak and claws. 
The cockatrice is also a boastful animal, it likes to show off to other members of its own and even other species. This becomes apparent when it uses medusa's glance to turn quarries into statues, and even corral other animals into seeing its statues as well as mates.
Cockatrice's have been observed living in nests similar to ostriches, but also living in caves, only emerging to feed or to add statues to their exhibits. in even rarer cases, cockatrice can be found in ruins, if plenty of statues are present.
Despite their mating rituals and reputation, cockatrices have a measure of intelligence which leads to necessary cowardice, it is more than happy to feed on the scraps of mightier predators, or to finish off wounded animals. 
Using a reflective surface while the cockatrice uses medusa's glance will disable its ability to use it. 
== Description ==
A cockatrice resembles a terror bird (a fellow ornithodesmus) with a rooster's comb and its muzzle resembles an elongated turtle's beak with small sharp teeth inside, similar to crocodilians. The wings of the beast are longer than that of the terror bird, more akin to shoebills and can be used to glide off of cliffs but cannot support powered flight for very long. It will however, use its wings to fly in order to attack its prey. 
The animal is also capable of using medusa's glance, and will expose statues of its victims for mating rituals. Those with marble bones that withstand the cockatrice's glance are said to be able to tame the beast. 
Cockatrice's also have second mouths, that take bites out of prey while the main mouth holds the prey in place. 
== Reproduction ==
While adult cockatrice can reproduce with each other, the cockatrice during mating season will seek out a quarry to turn into a statue, it will then drag the victim to its nest where it will corral potential mates (usually after a dominance ritual) to its prize in order to secure mating rights. Cockatrice's have also been observed corralling other animals and creatures to its statues (called exhibits), simply for boasting. 
There exists another method to create cockatrice's. This secondary method includes a roosters egg being incubated by a toad or serpent. The egg must be laid by an old rooster just before his death exactly at midnight on a clear night with a full moon. Within a few days, the egg shell, which is not hard, but rather soft and leathery, is opened by the animal. 
The animal shares no particular relation to the basilisk except the odd birthing pattern (rooster egg hatched by a toad).
== Usage ==
The feathers, eyes and stomach from cockatrices are used in alchemy by the other races. 
Category:Ornithodesmus
Category:Creature
Category:Animal
Category:Pages with red links
Category:Biology of Welt
Category:Avians