#in captivity Pymgies are used for “show birds” for tricks “alarm” systems placed in a small corner to keep an eye prized pets pest control f

[kitterahsdollhouse]

The Ziz- Pygmy Lore

(I’d like to preface this by saying if I’ve missed anything or you want something clarified, feel free to send in an ask! Also, if you like the Ziz and the Pygmies and would like to make one, feel free! [and tag me cause I’d love to see])

There are four varieties of Ziz, the Waterbirds, Raptors, Songbirds and Pygmies. They all live near the same peninsula, and the pygmies inhabit the plains; burrowing under its sunny expanse or hiding in the nooks of lone trees. Sunny and moderate temperatures make the plains perfect for the diminutive Ziz though in the dead of winter, the plains are very cold and windy. During the winter they can hunker down with stored food if need be, but may also enter a hibernation state is food is scare. They are the shortest and least social of the ziz. They occasionally are referred to as “Dwarfs” instead of Pygmies.

Though generally solitary, Pygmies do sometimes form very small communities, no more than 10 Ziz belong to these small communities, juxtaposed to the 50 and up of Songbird flocks. They have a tendency to move after a time which can vary from Pygmy to Pygmy. These small flocks have no leader and seem to operate on majority decision. They’re also very fluid so if a Pygmy strongly disagrees with the flock, they may just leave and be solitary or join an entirely different flock. There’s no real distinction between each flock, though you may be able to tell what region a Pygmy is from by the material they use to decorate themselves and their clothing.

Whether a Pygmy is in a flock or not may also dictate its burrow. A lone Pygmy will generally have two tunnels that lead into a room big enough for it to stand up and move in, and a smaller room or two for storage. Pygmies in a flock may have multiple chambers connected with multiple tunnels in an entire network of underground tunnels. Those in tree nooks tend to be more solitary than those living underground and store their food in the same hole the live in.

As the smallest Ziz, they stand 1’-2’ on average. They have the same eyes as the other species of Ziz with 2 different color iris rings in each eye, but their eyes see better in the dark due to all their time spent underground. Due to this they are also crepuscular; more active at dawn and dusk. All Ziz have four toes, with the fourth toe actually more like a thumb it’s able to be placed forward, against the other three, or separate to wrap around a branch for steady walking. Talons help them rake through the dirt to loosen it to either dig or look for grubs that may be hiding underground.

Pymies are also the only species to not have ear shells. Instead they have slits that they can control; they will shut their ears mostly when digging to prevent dirt from getting in and while flying to lessen drag and noise from the wind. Other differences include a slightly longer neck with relatively loose vertebrae so Pygmies can turn their necks about 270 degrees in either direction.

Their nose and upper lip form more of a pseudo beak. Their beak comes down fully over their top lip and is made of hard cartilage but turns to soft cartilage and then to regular soft tissue as it gets closer to the corners of the mouth. Their nostrils are actually somewhat small holes about halfway up the “beak”. The extra length helps filter out more dirt and the small size helps prevent dirt from entering in the first place.

On the second set of “shoulder blades” Pygmy Ziz have elliptical wings which are well suited for quick bursts of speed, including take offs which they use to catch their prey and avoid their predators. Colors range from earthy brown, cream and green to red, white, orange, yellow and other such warm and natural colors to help them blend into the dirt, grass and shrubs that cover their plain homes. Hollow bones allow for flight but make them rather weak physically.

Pygmy diets may be the most varied of all Ziz as they eat everything from insects and berries to small animals and fish when they can catch them. They generally hunt by dashing at prey quickly, using their wings to get an extra boost. They cannot solely live off of meat or fruits and nuts but need a balance to stay healthy. Because food can be scarce in the winter, Pygmies will often store dried fruits, nuts and insects in their burrows in case food is scarce.

The Ziz language is, of course, the Pygmies’ primary method of communication however, they do have a strange sort of hum which can travel amazing distances underground and is usually to alert other Pygmies of danger in the area. This hum does not work above ground. Since they are solitary, they generally do not have long distance or distinct flock calls unlike Songbirds or Raptors. .

Magic, as with all Ziz, comes naturally and can manifest through their singing and vocalizations. Pygmy songs are generally one long and held. Sometimes this note may have a short of vibrato in places, but it generally either ascends or descends. These notes can be very high and Pygmies can actually sing outside the range of human hearing. Magic is mostly used to offense and defense at larger creatures to either help bring one down for a flock or defend from a predator and sometimes those purposes intersect.

Like Waterbirds, there is no mating season for Pygmies and also like Waterbirds, since Pygmies are aloof and small flock are usually familial, relationships are usually outside of a flock. Courtship is done by decorating their skin and feathers with paint and grass and sticking objects in their feathers. They will approach with a dance while making soft crooning calls. If the other Pygmy like this display, they will begin to croon back and mimic the courter. Whether Pygmies are territorial or not depends on the individual so it’s very possible courtship is met with violence.

Mating is generally only until a child is old enough to fend for itself; that is to say around 2 years. Some Pygmy couples will take a break and simply get back together while others will have a different mate every time. It’s also very uncommon for Pygmies to accept courtship from multiple mates and end up in poly amorous relationships.

Children are cared for until they can fend for themselves. They are generally kept underground, away from predators for the first few months of their life. When they are finally allowed out, the parents keep a watchful eye on the child and teach it how to catch insects. Within 2-3 years, the child learns to hunt insects and small animals, forage, fly and evade predators. This is generally done solely by the parents, but if they are part of a flock, the entire flock will help out. After this time period, the child will leave to create their own home. Parents and children usually do not see each other again due to the Pygmies’ like of moving and solitary nature, but it can happen. Some children even come back to live with their parents, which is how some Pygmy flocks form.

Clothing is generally made of woven leaf fibers, like the other Ziz and decorated with beads made of nuts and seeds. The clothing itself is minimal, usually just bottoms, though same may don more clothing. In the winter, many can be seen sporting jackets with down on the inside. This down is usually from their own molted feathers; or in the case of young Pygmies, the feathers of parents.

And, with the permission of @your-toku-mom / @hella-rad-brooke , here’s an example of the “beak” using her Pygmy Ziz Olessa that she graciously drew!