Death's Head Hawk


This large, predatory avian is a resident of the deep forests of Northern Immikair, the Death's Head hawk is named after it's plumage, which is jet black throughout, with a white cap that looks remarkably like a human skull. Death's Head hawks are known for their intelligence and ferocity, and are highly sought after by sport falconers. The wingspan of a Death's Head hawk can reach almost two meters for an adult female, with slightly smaller spans by adult males and juveniles. The "Death's Head" plumage only appears in adults, as juveniles have a mottled brown and black pattern that allows for a somewhat greater protection from predators.

In their natural habitat, Death's Head hawks are almost exclusively solitary, pairing only to mate, and spending as little time raising the fledglings as possible. Juveniles prey on a wide variety of species, from the snake-voles, to grey doves, to the badeen rabbit deer. As they reach adulthood, the range of prey species increases substantially, as the larger hawks can take on the Immikair goblin cats, young hutmet, as well as several species of around human size. That aspect of Death's Head hawks hunting patterns has lead to attempts to eradicate them from around human habitations, as the will not hesitate to make meals of children and similar sized aliens, and particularly large or hungry hawks will occasionally attack adults.

The commercial value of Death's Head hawks has also helped lead to their decline in the wild, as hunters will shoot brooding females to steal the eggs or fledglings, and while Death's Head hawks are proficient hunters, they are no match for modern technology. Death's Head hawks have bred in captivity, but without any great consistency, and a loss of the wild population of the hawks would lead to severe degradation of the gene pools of the captive hawks. For that reason the government of Immikair has done it's best to limit the take of Death's Head hawks, and has attempted to regulate capture practices.

While the population in the wild of Death's Head hawks was stabilized by these measures, the flow of hawks onto the market has dropped precipitously, and prices of Death's Head hawks has shot up precipitously.
Dexterity: 3D+1
Brawling parry 4D+1, dodge 5D+2, flying 7D
Perception: 3D+1
Search 6D+1, sneak 5D
Strength: 2D+2
Brawling 5D, climbing/jumping 7D

Move: 4, 38 flying
Average Size: 80 centimeters tall, 2.65 meters wingspan

Special Abilities:

Natural Weapons. Claws: STR+2D, doubled for a stoop attack, Beak STR+1D+2. Stoop attacks can only be made when the hawk has 1,000 meters vertical clearance, and takes no other actions that round.
Eyesight. Death's Head hawks have a remarkable keen sight, capable of distinguishing between a snake-vole's tail and a yellow root from thousands of meters above the ground.

Weaknesses:

Death's Head hawks are uncomfortable when kept in confined spaces for long times, and prolonged spaceflight has lead to molting, disease, and occasionally death.
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