Our Habitat

As you can see these two attempts on the left were our previous habitats. The one on the right is our chosen habitat.

This is our environment/habitat. This image shows the rocky, icy, cold and steep edge of the mountain like a cliff. Our creature lives in the little holes of the cliff located around the middle.

Our Bird

Our Plans

As you can see we carefully evaluated and researched the adaptations our creature will need to survive the frigid planet.

Report

The Mortem Bird

Introduction

Tall, deadly, hunter of the night, the Mortem Bird is a feared predator that lives in the cold, hostile environment of Planet X. It nests in tall frigid cliffs that look out across vast oceans. This bird is so deadly they have been nicknamed the White Death. 

Habitat 

When describing the habitat, two words come to mind: cold, and freezing. As previously mentioned, these birds reside in icy cliffs that face the ocean. There are no plants or life for food at these cliffs so you may wonder why the birds inhabit this environment. Well, bring so high up, they literally give the birds a ‘birds eye view’ of the ocean. Their enhanced vision allows them to see the neighbouring islands and any approaching dangers. The downside of such a remote habitat is that the birds will often have to travel massive distances to find food. Their food of preference is large mammals which reside on the larger main lands which can sometimes be 100’s of kilometres away.  

Physical adaptations 

This bird has an incredibly unique appearance.It vaguely resembles the secretary bird, along with having plenty of other remarkable adaptations. Firstly, this bird has an extremely long beak that can range from 60-100cm long. The length of the beak varies depending on the size of the bird. The beak of this bird is not only long, but also very sharp. It uses the attributes of its beak to kill its prey with ease. Due to the inconvenient size of the beak, it has to eat quite slowly. The bird's eyes are 5cm in diameter to enhance the distance the bird can see. It also has enhanced rods to allow it to see in the dark environment of Planet X’s nocturnal atmosphere. Another remarkable feature is that this bird has 2 eyelids. The eyelid closest to the eye is completely transparent and incredibly tough. This eyelid protects the eyes from harsh winds, while the outer eyelids primary function is to keep debris from entering the eye and to help the bird sleep (block out light). The largest length its neck can stretch to is 1m, but again, this depends on the overall size of the bird. An incredible feature of this bird is its wings that can reach an incredible size of 3m. This bird also has a specialised breathing style. Being on such an icy planet, this bird has many useful adaptations to help it survive the cold, however its immune system is poorly adapted. Even a small speck of dust can be fatal, that’s why it has created a rather remarkable filtering system. At the point where the wings meet the bird's shoulder blades, underneath thick feathers are 2 thin breathing sites. When the bird flies, air passes through its wings. This air travels through a unique interlocking system of feathers that filter out any unwanted dust particles leaving oxygen to enter the breathing slits. Probably this bird's most interesting feature can be found on the legs. Not the long legs themselves, but the talons protruding from the end of each toe, but let’s not jump ahead. This bird's legs are long and make up two thirds of its height. These legs are covered in a tough, hard layer of skin and the scales that keep out the chill of the icy terrain. The talons on these birds legs are the most deadly you will ever find. Each talon is 10 inches long and contains a poison called glaciostoxin. If this poison enters the bloodstream, it is fatal. The toxin itself contains tiny crystals that will freeze and spread very quickly, creating the effect of their prey turning into ice. It has 4 talons on each foot, 2 in the front of the foot and 2 in the back. These talons are razor sharp and the poison sack is located at the tip of each talon. Finally, its plumage is pure white, very thick, and hard as ice. This plumage does not regrow so losing feathers is dangerous to the bird. 

Behavioural adaptations 

So you may be thinking, how can a bird be an apex predator? Like humans, the Mortem Bird uses its smarts to kill its opponents. However, the Mortem Bird is significantly more intelligent than the average human. Firstly, birds aren't massive killers but this bird has an enhanced amygdala which gives the bird a more brutal and vicious nature. Originally, this caused the bird to attack any other creatures it came across. This occasionally resulted in the death of the bird. Over time, the brain has adapted even more and recent generations of the birds which are now able to recognise animals that will cause harm and can evaluate how much damage it can do without harming itself. The actual structure of the bird's brain is similar to that of a human except for a few differences. The left lobe is larger than the right lobe and the prefrontal cortex is also significantly larger than a humans. Other changes include an enhanced cerebellum to allow maximum control over the bird's movement. This means the bird is able to perform complicated aerial manoeuvres that other flying creatures are incapable of doing. Another notable behavioural adaptation is a regulated cerebral cortex. This enhances the bird's senses, meaning it can detect prey easier. The Mortem Bird usually surveys its prey out of sight to evaluate the best way to attack before making an aerial kill. 

Conclusion 

Based on the above facts we can surmise that the Mortem Bird has adapted to become a deadly predator of a deadly environment. Its behavioural adaptations include a razor sharp beak, glaciotoxin imbedded in its talons, and its massive wingspan all aid in its hunting missions. Furthermore, its frigid, yet elevated habitat protects and allows for a clear bird's eye view perfect for seeking prey and detecting threats. Lastly, its neurologically advanced system provides it with massive advantages against other predators. Thus we conclude, this superior is able to constantly survive the trials of Planet X. 

Special Adaptations