Diving Falcon
The Diving Falcon is a raptor, about the size of a Crow and smaller than a Gyrkin, with a wingspan of up to 4ft, decidedly pointed for high speed flight. The back and wings of the falcon are blue-black to slate grey with black wingtips. Underparts are white to rusty, barred black or dark brown. The neck and throat are white, while the crown and lines along the cheek are black.
Diving Falcons prey almost exclusively on other birds. They attack by diving from altitude, descending at speeds upwards of 200 miles per hour and seizing prey in mid-air, typically killing the victim on impact by way of claws or a bite to the neck which severs the spinal column. Creatures which are preyed on by the diving falcon include doves, crows, songbirds, muttonbirds, and sometimes ducks. The diving falcon prefers to pluck its prey clean of feathers before eating.
Diving falcons mate for life, after courtship displays of aerial acrobatics in which the two birds circle and weave. The male will present offerings of fresh-killed prey to the female as they pass in flight, neither bird breaking speed. The diving falcon pair, normally avoiding larger creatures, will defend their nest against interlopers... they have been recorded on several occasions killing White Eagles who were attempting to reach their eggs.
The diving falcon is considered by many to be the highest bird of the falconer’s art, despite its small size... indeed the very term 'falconry' for the art of using winged hunting animals is due to this raptor. The sheer power of its dive allows it to take airborne prey with ease, including other popular hunting animals such as the Mospid, and the carrier Doves used for communications in many Threshold states… however, mastering control of a diving falcon is amongst the greatest challenges for a falconer, and keeping one a sign of great skill. Even amongst those who are not involved in falconry, a diving falcon taking the top eaves of a palace tower or temple minaret as a nesting site is often seen as a sign of favour or martial fortune.
Falcons are used to represent the rank of Vice-Governor in the mandarin squares of the Thousand Scales, with the Diving Falcon most favoured for this purpose.
