Avian

From WikiFur, the furry encyclopedia.

An avian is a being with bird characteristics. This includes all real birds, anthropomorphic birds, fantasy birds, and bird variants such as gryphons or cockatrices. Avian is also an adjective referring to avians.

[edit] Avians in furry

Anthropomorphic avians can be broadly classed as either bird- or gryphon-anthropomorph. The differences between mammal and bird anatomy can result in difficult questions when designing an anthropomorphic character:

[edit] Anatomical features

• Arms: In real birds, the wings are modified forelimbs, meaning that a direct anthropomorphising would result in a being with wings instead of arms. There are three main ways around this:
  • 'Toony' wings, in which the wing feathers double as fingers. This is frequently seen in cartoons, but is very unrealistic.
  • 'Wing arms', which are wings modified into arms. Possibly this takes into account the wing's evolutionary history as a forelimb, which often shows claws on wings. This feature can be seen today in a vestigial form, in the hoatzin.
  • Back-mounted wings, and arms; this is probably the most popular option, as it enables flight and dexterity.

• Leg structure?
  • Real avian legs are an extreme form of digitigrade; this is normally reflected in anthro avians, although the foot proportions are normally shortened.

[edit] Sexual anatomy and reproduction

• Male
  • Most male avians lack a penis (ducks are a well known exception), but this avian accuracy, though not unheard of, is rare in anthros. Less ambiguity is a major advantage of gryphons, in which the rear half is not avian.

• Female
  • Breasts on females? These are often the only clear indication of gender, but real birds, not being mammals, lack them.
  • Oviposition is the avian process of laying eggs for (normally) reproduction (a process shared by Scalies, Fish and Monotremes).

This stub about a term needs improving.