Falcons

Falcon refers to the collection of unique species under the genus of falco. Falcons of the Rift include Peregrines, Sakers, gyrfalcons, Laggers, Lanners and kestrels.

Gyrfalcon is the title given to any falcon with white or silver plumage, although gyrfalcons can be brown or reddish in color. Gyr refers to the first falcon of the rift, Gyrmálkin, who had pure white feathers and was the father of all falcons. Although gyrfalcons exist in abundance in the Rift, they are simply recognized as falcons, and do not refer to themselves as Gyr.

Many falcons in the Rift have hawk blood in them; Albion, leader of the Skelsían falcons, is a white-morph gyrfalcon and red-tailed hawk hybrid, as are his parents and grandparents. Heathrwing and Selta are Lanner falcon and red-tailed hawk hybrids, with Heathrwing displaying much red coloration in her breast and wings.

Kestrels, the smallest species of the genus falco, do not inhabit Skelsía or Elmjir, but occupy a small area in Oryrt. These small falcons are the only pure-blooded falcons left in the Rift, as much mingling between falcons and hawks has led to a muddied bloodline in all of the major regions and tribes.

Lanner Falcons
Lanner Falcons are classified in the Rift as the common falcon, or nein falcon. They are an unmuddled species, without any hawk or eagle blood within them. Typically these falcons will become hunters or sky patrollers, but are not normally Sentinels. They make strong, swift soldiers in skirmishes, but unable to handle the stress from true war.

Laggar Falcons
Laggar Falcons are classified in the Rift as the "brutes of the sky". They are larger than most other falcons and display speckled or smudged black or brown coloration on their breasts and wings. They are typically employed in the Rift as Sentinels, and are highly skilled in long-term warfare and weapon wielding. A Laggar Falcon typically has some hawk blood in them, such as the Red-tailed hawk (as Heathrwing and Selta) or golden eagle (as Danr is). Their talons are longer and thicker, and are able to slice through thick meat and feathers, a typical and much-needed weapon for warring raptors.

Laggar Falcons are said to have been some of the first falcons born from the great god Gyr, but because of their muddling of blood the Laggar Falcon has become one of the least-noble of the falcon species.