Species: Strixen

Strixen are sleek birds of prey, adapted to hunting in the darkness of the Tangles and Mulch. Though they are not impeded by bright light, they have a strong distaste for it. Few strixen make the sun-lit Canopy their home.

Strixen have lengthy tails, distinctive tall ears, and long velvety feathers shaped for silent flight. Their beaks are sharp and sometimes curved for tearing meat. Vicious talons mean they are always well-armed. Their hands are extensions of their wing bones. They cannot easily use their hands in flight, so they grip and carry with their prehensile feet instead.

Strixen have excellent low-light vision, with large eyes, and use echolocation to perceive in the deep dark. Their ears move independently, allowing them to triangulate sounds more efficiently. Their heads can swivel three-quarters of the way around, enabling them to perceive in multiple directions without turning their torso. Strixen are often described as having intense focus—sometimes characterized by an unblinking stare.

Strixen generate clicks with their tongues for echolocation. They can hear each others’ clicks, but use slight variations in frequency or intonation to avoid confusion. Strix have developed a language called “clickspeak” for private vocalizations that only strix and veetlings can hear.

Strixen take partners, but rarely for life. Partners often groom each other. They lay small clutches of (2–4) eggs and share responsibilities for raising hatchlings.

It is not uncommon for a strix to regurgitate part of its meal (or at least the indigestible parts such as bone, exoskeleton, or fur) in the form of pellets to clear out its gullet. “Casting” out a pellet is considered normal and healthy, not impolite. Some other species (particularly scrills) consider strix pellets to be a delicacy.