iguanodont: I got a couple of asks regarding the Ziz Bird as a potential relative of the griffin, so

iguanodont: I got a couple of asks regarding the Ziz Bird as a potential relative of the griffin, so here’s my 2 cents: (Also please keep in mind that none of the original descriptions actually specify a griffin-like creature; I’m not even sure where that came about) The Ziz, also known as the roc (and some have argued the Thunderbird, but this is highly debatable) is the largest of all flying dragons, with a wingspan averaging at around 45 feet, but large individuals reaching upwards of 50. Almost nothing was known of their distribution, habits, or reproduction for millennia; for, understandably, this is a creature adapted so completely to life on the wing that it has lost the ability to take off from level ground entirely. Even today they are difficult to find and study, as most of their near-endless flight is spent over open ocean. They are primarily piscivores, and follow the movements of schooling fish, which they skim from the surface of the water. Interestingly, certain individuals have also been observed to target large bird colonies, where they pick out birds from the massive flocks as if hunting fish. One of the most famous places to observe this incredible sight is in Israel, a massive stopover for migrating birds and a Mecca for birdwatchers and dragonologists alike. Every summer they converge from all over the world at their breeding ground in the mountains of Northern Pakistan, though other roosting sites (of subspecies) are known at the Faroe Islands and in parts of Canada. What do these places have in common? Only among the tallest, sheerest cliffs in the world. Only at such steep inclines do these creatures ever roost, hooking onto the rock with strong claws to wait for their mate. Research suggests that they are monogamous; though they only meet once a year, mated pairs find each other with distinctive calls. They may also renew their mating ritual, which consists of a tandem dance of circling and divebombs. The male then clambers over the female as she hangs from the vertical rock face for intercourse. The mated pair remain at their roost for about a month, wherein they take leave shortly after the female gives birth. Ziz are among the only viviparous dragons, wherein the female carefully deposits her single chick on the back of the male and takes off. It is the male’s duty to carry the chick safely to the sea, so it may set out on its own from a safe altitude and close to food. Chicks will remain at sea until they are grown at 6 years. They can live as long as 50 years. As with many of earth’s wonders, the Ziz has experienced a steady decline over recent decades due to overfishing and climate change. -- source link

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