Kiwi

Hi guys, sorry about the lack of updates. I've still been drawing, I've just been busy with some new projects. The most notable of which is Art For... a live art charity event that will be held in Prague on June 25. Even if you're not in Prague, you can still download (or contribute to) the digital anthology for a small donation. All money will go to help Edge of Existence, that conservation group I always link to. So updates here will be sporadic until I get into the groove of running a charity (or until work ends for the summer and I have more time anyways).

Hey I just realized this is the second drawing I've done here of a bird that is also a fruit... maybe I should make that my "thing".

Rich Mr. Pelican

Sorry about yesterday. The internet at my apartment sucks right now and it took forever to get anything uploaded.

Xenicibis

Xenicibis was discovered in Jamaica in 1977 by Storrs Olson. Its bone structure was so strange that Olson thought it must've had some kind of bone disease. In fact, the bird had extremely powerful weighted ends on its wings. Obviously, these wings were not very useful for flight, but they may have been especially useful for bashing predatory snakes or even monkeys and birds of prey. The size and weight of these wings means that xenicibis might have walked on them like crutches. If not use for defense, it may have been used in mock battles with members of its own species for territory or mates.

The bones that make up the clubs are hollow, like a baseball bat. This means they could dish out real damage without being too heavy to wield. The long "handle" at the joints meant that it could be swung very quickly and had a very far reach. Whether it was used to bash rivals or bash predators, it would have been quite a formidable weapon.

Non-ibis related: I've been thinking about how I want to update this blog, and I think its best if I do so on a consistent schedule. So from now on I will be updating with new drawings every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

Boobrie

The boobrie is a sinister water bird of Scottish folklore, said to resemble a gigantic loon or stork. The boobrie's diet is mainly carnivorous, with a particular fondness for the flesh of young calves. These are sneaky birds, and their method of hunting is actually quite ingenious by monster standards. The Scottish moors are home to any number of horrific man-eating beasts and so most farmers are well acquainted with the warning signs and methods of escaping any supernatural threat. When a boobrie spots a ship carrying young livestock down the river, it will rush at the ship roaring madly and transforming itself into a well known man-eater such as the each uisge (a horribly evil water horse) or the targh-uisge (an equally dangerous aquatic bull). When the farmers see such an infamous creature rushing at their ship, they assume it is after them and panic, often abandoning ship. While everyone prepares to escape the oncoming threat, the boobrie quickly changes back to its true form, grabs a calf in its beak, and dives into the water to feast.

While the boobrie prefers to hunt calves most of all, in times of need they will hunt adult cows, sheep, otters or occasionally human. For the most part, however, travelers in Scottland don't need to worry about boobrie attack unless they are attempting to transport livestock.