Angry Birds of August Episode IV: The White Cockatrice

[@pterosaur5245]

This isn't gliding, it's falling, with style.

[@alghoulaj7172]

What's worse than a raptor? A gliding, nervous raptor. Thankfully they are rarely man-eaters. But the horror alone is terrifying.

[@extraordinarytv5451]

Aren't most raptors gliding and (if they're cat-like) nervous?

[@IanPendleton-gh6ox]

@@extraordinarytv5451 I think when he means "raptor" he's specifically about the sickle-clawed dinosaur-type raptors and not the bird-type ones we know and admire.

[@tnevy511]

Taken: Oh man, we're on top of the world. I'm positive there's nothing that can get us. White Cockatrice: Incoming! Taken: AHHH!

[@Seelie-pooka]

Read this in scout tf2 voice, was not expecting to her him in my weekly speculative biology binge, 10/10 thank you

[@TalesofKaimere]

Bros success and abundance singlehandedly enabled the evolution of the largest gliding animal lol

[@rylanbrewer3320]

The largest gliding animal that ever lived

[@leoornstein3963]

Kinda cool to see a classic looking dromaeosaur in a world where most dinosaurs are drastically different from their earth ancestors, appearance wise.

[@IanPendleton-gh6ox]

From angry bird month to rare carnivore month, things have been really great so far. Thank you again for creating all these episodes, and I can't wait to see what you have in store for us in the next anthology.

[@TalesofKaimere]

Thanks so much for making it possible!

[@charlottewalnut3118]

@@TalesofKaimereI was waiting for this episode as I love those things they look amazing

[@drackool3544]

Such an awesome creature. The idea of one of theses things being sicked onto you in war like a dog is a truly horrifying thought

[@TalesofKaimere]

Absolutely horrifying

[@tec-jones5445]

At last! A video on the most mysterious theropod of the known world. A giant microraptor build occupying the niche of snow leopards is beyond incredible. A melanistic/iridescent morph would be a sight to behold!

[@diogod2347]

I think Kaimere might be one of my favorite fictional worlds in existence, it feels so magical but also so grounded, it's like the world someone nature-obsessed like me would love to live in, there's so much to do and see, few fictional worlds make me wish I lived there, keep up the good work.

[@FDW137]

So, I've spent the last two months catching up with this series, and this was the first episode that I caught on the day it came out. My key takeaways from this series are: -Kaimere is the charismatic megafauna version of the Evangelion fanfiction "Nobody Dies" -On Kaimere hugging is an extreme sport.

[@ryanchen1819]

Imagine running into a harkundi, fireback, common cockatrice, and white cockatrice in the wild where their ranges intersect in Ni’Khar at once.

[@praetorianrex5571]

Question: if hybridizing occurs between one species that selects for larger males and another species that selects for larger females, would the two sodes cancel each other out our make things balanced in the resulting offspring?

[@charlottewalnut3118]

Nope that makes a liger which are just freaking huge I think

[@TalesofKaimere]

Not sure. Not my area of expertise, but from what I understand, it would depend on which parent is from which species and what genes are tied to which sex.

[@dudotolivier6363]

Usually, females of a given species will always seek for the larger males (as larger mean stronger, more heathly, visually attractive and genetically more better. As these traits are important factors males must have to be chosen by females for being the fathers of their offsprings) and often can mistake males of another, close and normally larger itself species as males of their own species. And so go for these. Males, instinctively, during mating seasons, for most species, will try to mate with the most possible females, in some ways blindly and without checking twice. And so can often mate with females of another species. However, males will still seek for females large enough that they can mate with without too much problems. If too small, a male cannot mate with because the female cannot support the weight of the male during the process. But otherwise, species of animals as a whole, except females seeking the largest males, actually do not care much about size of the other gender as a general trend. Size can still be important for the appearance of another species. In a given population of a given series. Larger males will prevent smaller ones and usually reproduce with large enough females to support them during mating process. Leading smaller males to breed with only the smaller females which can't mate for the larger males. Overtime, two distincts lines appear and interchanges between the two are at a minimum.

[@jessehunter362]

@@dudotolivier6363Misleading in its generality. While this is typical for most sexual selection, there are a great number of systems by which social selection occurs, for a great number of reasons. Male sexual selection of larger females is notable in large ratites, for example, and many herd-dwelling herbivores will select who they stay with based on overall fitness, often including size.

[@annikathewitch3950]

Sometimes hybrids end up bigger than either of the parents due to a phenomenon called hybrid vigour.

[@Rells2coolpeoplehavebadtastes.]

Excited to learn about these feathered bastards.

[@TalesofKaimere]

100%

[@rileyernst9086]

I think a dromeosaur perfectly fills the role of mountain predator. The white cockatrice is neither big cat or eagle, but equal parts both ecologically!

[@sivanlevi3867]

I am very impressed by the White Cockatrice and how it hunts. Members of the raptor family, like Microraptor and Sinornithosaurus, can glide, but likely need trees to climb in order to achieve lift-off. A gliding raptor is incredible, though not new to Earth. This combines a traditional dromaeosaur body plan with bird feathers to make an awe-inspiring mountain hunter. Raptors rule! Cheers to you, Keenan!

[@fishyfishyfishy500akabs8]

You are outdated in regard to microraptor. People have made ornithopter models and made them fly, found they have wing proportions more similar to birds that can fly, and also that they don’t seem to be particularly unable to fly despite their weird arm configuration and other factors like their tail.

[@sivanlevi3867]

But they still can't run on the ground with wings on their legs, right?

[@owli-wankenobi3727]

5:18 Toruk of Kaimere?! :3 Honestly, this video has given me much more appreciation for this animal than I had before. Glad that it got its own video. :)

[@chancegivens9390]

A very majestic beast!! I can imagine it making small glides across mountain rocks through the mist!

[@BigBossMan538]

Your project, and the many others on this platform, help motivate me to work on my speculative evolution project. Thank you, Keenan!

[@TalesofKaimere]

Glad to hear it!

[@Pufflizard]

the raptor take on a snow leopard

[@TalesofKaimere]

Definitely

[@Zekeriyasenturk6513]

Thanks this final episode of 2024 Angry birds of August :)

[@TalesofKaimere]

Yup! Thank you!

[@Zekeriyasenturk6513]

@@TalesofKaimere youre welcome

[@bmw895]

This month may have been done for anger reasons but it has brought me nothing but joy! Great job Keenan I can't wait to see what is covered next time and hope to buy your upcoming book

[@TalesofKaimere]

Love to hear it!

[@bmw895]

@TalesofKaimere neat, if I may ask what are your plans going forward? More birds?

[@sunsolar2138]

You mentioned heraldry. I'm intrigued

[@joekane1844]

I can’t imagine how badass it would feel to practice falconry with one of these beauties

[@rileyernst9086]

Yeah, imagine being a skirmisher/light infantry type soldier, and you start moving onto some high ground to get the advantage on the enemy, to gain a position to start hitting their flank. Then something passes over the sun. And the next moment men start to go down around you as death drops onto them from the craigs above, and suddenly you have a pack of big fierce dromies in your midst.

[@ryanchen1819]

Speaking of which I find it interesting that the apex predators in Kairul are descended from at least 3 of the Mesozoic dynasties before the Dynastic Extinction which are the bokodu and komu ka bawe from the Tyrant Dynasty, tikakatik from the Red Spring Dynasty, and the megaraptorans from the Tremor And Travel Dynasty. (Though I’ve yet to speak about Crown of Kairul’s apex predators.)

[@rextj1118]

I'm so excited for this! Ever since these first showed up, I've been hoping for a video dedicated to them.

[@levinjoseph233]

Basically a snowleopard if it had wings and beak

[@IanPendleton-gh6ox]

It doesn't actually have a beak, but it's still not something I'd like to come across even on a sunny day.

[@JJ_Acuna]

Amazing video as always!

[@TalesofKaimere]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@UdinJibral]

This video is the shortest, but mostly because well lack of available information, w didn't even get to know their parental habits in this video. So the assembly most likely currently doesn't have enough data on the White Cockatrice, at last a good end for the Angry Birds of August.

[@TalesofKaimere]

Indeed, it is poorly known even to the people who live with it. Most of what could be said, such as their evolutionary history and daily life, is conjecture as most study has been of captive specimens

[@dudotolivier6363]

​@@TalesofKaimere We do know they co-evolved with the ancestors of the Baoqu, the mountain dwelling ceratopsian that they share their habitat with. It's even this predator mainly which forced this animals and is relatives to developped Porcupine-like quills on their back and tail.

[@brontospinusregalia6921]

Beautiful birb.

[@TalesofKaimere]

Thanks!

[@smashers6971]

Glad we’re going into the bizarre realms beyond the known world with the strange relics that managed to eek out a living on the hyper competitive world of Kaimere.

[@shingtiong9425]

One of the prettier dromeosaur imo due to more simple white, grey feather theme which I really like. Also question what happened to the day 24 reptile dragon post on insta because it dissappeared?

[@TalesofKaimere]

Looks like it's still there for me? Not sure. It's got the same basic shape as the demonic prompt. Poor planning on my part. May simply look the same?

[@SanderVF]

What a magnificent and badass animal. Might be my fave “raptor” in Kaimere.

[@user-pn2px3de1f]

I wonder what it tastes like?

[@transnewt]

if this is not the most awaited episode for any dromie... well, i suppose thats fair kaimere has a lot of really cool dromies

[@transnewt]

shame there isn't much to talk about tho

[@maozilla9149]

nice video

[@TalesofKaimere]

Thanks!

[@maozilla9149]

@@TalesofKaimere your welcome

[@taylorlynch7410]

well now that this series is finished, What are you gonna do next?

[@TalesofKaimere]

Next up is rare carnivorans!

[@dudotolivier6363]

The rare carnivorans mammals in question will be mostly about relics of the Pleistocene South-East Asia Harvest which get a dedicated episode already. It will be about a species of Megantereon, one species of Puma, one species of Panda and the Tremarctine bear Uruugetar.

[@taiko1237]

I love these guys! One of my favorite Kaimeran species. One tiny nitpick though - you give the subspecies names as _Talaria venti favonius_ and _Talaria venti vulturus_ . Technically speaking, one of those (the one described first) should have the nominate subspecies name of _Talaria venti venti_ , according to biological nomenclature rules, unless there's a third subspecies you didn't mention which does have the nominate name.

[@TalesofKaimere]

No that's definitely valid. I didn't know that rule! Will keep in mind for future developments.

[@taiko1237]

@@TalesofKaimere Cool! It is one of the lesser known nomenclature rules tbf.

[@ryanchen1819]

Interesting series on the angry birds of Kaimere. It was nice seeing Chuck harkundi, Bomb fireback, Red common cockatrice, and Matilda white cockatrice. Some more things to say: 1. How did the white cockatrice participate during the Warring Clades Period? 2. Arvelith highlands vs Crescent mountains. 3. Any animals similar to the white cockatrice in Arvel? 4. What would happen if a white cockatrice got to the south side of the Crescent mountains?

[@TalesofKaimere]

1. They were probably around 15 pounds by that point. Irrelevant to the megafaunal conflict. 2. Crescent mountains are generally taller, though the southern edge of the Arvelith mountains have some peaks that come close. 3. No. 4. Would die. Too hot and is densely forested to the cockatrice would struggle to find food and quickly overheat (or shed their undercoat)

[@thedarkmasterthedarkmaster]

I loved this months series, these angry birds even if not technically birds are deeply fearsome creatures. i also like the detail in how they are called cockatrices despite not being true cockatrices, sorta like how they call everything with feathers birds. Shows the disconnect between common names and science. Is the Emerald Cockatrice different to the Green Cockatrice?

[@ryanchen1819]

As for me, my guess is that the white cockatrice is descended from deinonychus introduced in the Tremor And Travel Dynasty.

[@TalesofKaimere]

A reasonable guess

[@seanessdracosaurus2793]

Awesome

[@vasantmasurekar4826]

Great episode. Would a mountain panther take a cockatrice out in a 1 on 1 fight??

[@TalesofKaimere]

All comes down to context and individual. Both are predators of similar mass. Panther is a better grappler, cockatrice is of greater linear dimensions so better reach and height. I imagine it's a pretty even fight. All depends on which lands the first good hit.

[@godzilla6461]

​@TalesofKaimere i am exited about birds and cockatrice but will we get a monkey update soon in honor of Black Myth Wukong?

[@TalesofKaimere]

Don’t have any monkey sponsors no

[@praetorianrex5571]

If a carcass remains on a mountain does the leaking nutrients get swept to lower ground or is locally contained?

[@TalesofKaimere]

Depends on water flow and erosion but I imagine it's usually washed to lower ground. Sometimes you do get stuff trapped though.

[@soudino2723]

do white cockatrice have to be careful when encountering mountain panthers or can they overpower them?

[@TalesofKaimere]

Can go either way. Both are of similar mass. Panthers are better grapplers, cockatrice has greater linear dimensions (height and reach) and superior weapons. I expect it comes down to individuals and which scores the first good hit

[@1998topornik]

Snow birb of murder!

[@rylanbrewer3320]

Do any thesclosaurs live in the mountains

[@TalesofKaimere]

Yes

[@rylanbrewer3320]

Do there feather protect them from falls if the loose there footing on the mountain cliffs

[@TalesofKaimere]

@@rylanbrewer3320 A bit, but more in slowing their fall

[@joshblackmore3642]

You should do video centred around The Nehamu I feel like it deserves it’s own video since it is a relic from the tyrant dynasty and it hasn’t really been given a big spotlight in your videos

[@All_The_GOATs]

Rirb (raptor + bird)

[@Dodo-x3g]

recently came up with an idea, some kind of documentary for the arvelith mammoth, wonder what you think of it.

[@IanPendleton-gh6ox]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/naXMZnRuodNsj6s The link above takes you to an episode about the Arvelith Mammoth that was published in May of last year.

[@Dodo-x3g]

I was more thinking something like ballad of ka hai but with the arvelith mammoth instead, wonder what you think about it.

[@TalesofKaimere]

Would be a cool species for it!

[@praetorianrex5571]

Speaking of mountain dwellers, I've just heard of the Nian from Chinese mythology and it's role in Chinese New Year. I wonder if anything in Kaimere is named after it. 🤔

[@TalesofKaimere]

Not at the moment, but I tend to pick names after the animal is designed, not design based on myths, so it's entirely possible it will get a named reference down the road

[@praetorianrex5571]

@@TalesofKaimere excellent!

[@dudotolivier6363]

​@@TalesofKaimere The main key element to remember is that it's about a large (quadrupedal) predator living in mountains which descend during a given time of the year in lowland to eat people in villages. And people prevent this by creating a festival where they made lots of noises and red decorations that the predator don't like to repel it. If a creatures named after Nian there would be one day, I imagine that something inside the Known World is pretty impossible due to how advanced in developpement it is. Maybe something in Kairul due to how still early it is and more open to wild and crazy stuff. Maybe an medium sized Entelodont or Entelodont-like Camel species living in mountains and forced to descend into lowland during harsh times of the year. But this is just an open suggestion, nothing matter about this topic for know.

[@The-recolored-clone3354]

THIS MF CAN GLIDE?! wow.

[@mlgodzilla4206]

Is there one that poops an explosive egg when thrown?

[@Dodo-x3g]

So by the way, can you give an estimate of the Kaimeran army.

[@TalesofKaimere]

Not off the top of my head.

[@thenerdbeast7375]

If they have the technology to study genetics it should be easy to figure out which population of White Cockatrice came from the other; take large sample sizes of both populations and whichever population had more genetic diversity would be the ancestral population due to lacking the genetic bottleneck from speciation.

[@TalesofKaimere]

Indeed. Alas, the Assembly only has a few remains and maybe one or two stuffed specimens.

[@rylanbrewer3320]

When did there ancestors reach the known world

[@TalesofKaimere]

When they were harvested in the Cretaceous

[@rylanbrewer3320]

@@TalesofKaimere so are they more related to the kaishel dromies then hound cockatrices and the other cockatrices

[@HagdoBr]

Kaimere Seikret.

[@DavidGlenn-xl6yi]

Cute little guys

[@praetorianrex5571]

Conservative Barioth has entered the chat.

[@rylanbrewer3320]

What does its scientific name talaria mean

[@TalesofKaimere]

It is the Latin word for the winged sandals of Hermes, in reference to the feathered feet of this taxon and its general ability to glide.

[@rylanbrewer3320]

If takin live in kaimere that means other animals forms southern China were havrested during the early Pleistocene harvest

[@TalesofKaimere]

Indeed. We'll meet a few others this month! Keep in mind: takin used to range throughout Eurasia and North Africa.

[@rylanbrewer3320]

From making assumptions I can gather what places were specifically havrested during the early Pleistocene harvest vietnam Thailand south China java and borneo sumatara

[@TalesofKaimere]

@@rylanbrewer3320 And don't forget northern Sahul

[@rylanbrewer3320]

Do wild goats or sheep also live on the crescent mountains

[@rylanbrewer3320]

Not sure we’re the species of antelope came from

[@settrasurfs1780]

_Talaria venti favonius_ Genshin Impact raptor

[@Rells2coolpeoplehavebadtastes.]

First!