Cresantis

Yet another chimera drawn on the stream! I made this for my Patrons. Thank you so much for making this possible! The Cresantis is a Praying Mantis x Crested Serpent Eagle Chimera. It's name was voted on by the followers of my stream. Like the other chimeras the animals that I combined for the design were chosen by the patrons. All Chimeras that I make are original characters.

Voted on: May 1
Requested by: Brigand, itszeenz and Nauhst

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Basic Information

Behavior:
The Cresantis are territorial animals and will chase away any other unwanted Cresantis in the area. They are known to attack and sometimes mortally wound bigger animals than themselves when they come too close to the nest. Because of this behaviour they are considered highly dangerous. During the mating season males hunt down prey to offer to the female before mating. It is believed that the bigger the prey the bigger the chance that the female will accept the offer and allows mating. If the female does not accept the offer they sometimes attack the male and in rare occasions they are known to kill the male. When flying at high speed the Cresantis folds it's limbs as close as possible to the body to prevent as much air resistance as possible. Cresantis will kill and eat the chicks of other Cresantis when they get the opportunity.

Habitat:
Cresantis often can be found in forests or grasslands near forests. A Cresantis pair can claim an area as their own of up to 18 km.

Diet:
The Cresantis is a carnivore who specializes in hunting arthropods and vertebrates. They use their fast flying abilities to quickly dive towards prey and catch them with their front legs. In areas with higher grass they sometimes follow prey on the ground by foot. Besides the strong beak the Cresantis also uses it's mandibles to rip their prey into smaller edible proportions.

Appearance and maintenance:
Both the males and females can have a length of up to 80cm and a wingspan of 170cm. The feathers of the female are usually dark brown but there are sightings of females having black and white/grey tail feathers and wings. The reason for this deviation is unknown. All males have black and white/grey tail feathers,wings and head. The male usually has a slightly more yellow beak than the female. Cresantis clean their feathers at least once a day and sometimes take sand baths and use water to get rid of any pests between their feathers.

Reproduction and lifespan:
After mating both the male and female build the nest. Only the females incubate and the male hunts for food in this period. This usually takes about 35 days. After 20 days the chicks start developing feathers and after 2 months they will attempt their first flight. Cresantis can stay together for life but because the male has to offer a 'satisfying gift' before mating this isn't always the case. The Cresantis can live up to 50 years.