Bach Harpy
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Once in a very great while a member of this powerful and solitary Harpy subspecies will take up residence on the summit of The Bach. They rarely stay long though.
Physical Description
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Bach Harpies are physically one of the largest and most powerful species of Harpy. They can stand well over 70 feet in height and are very solidly built. Their feet are simply massive in size and are their deadliest weapon, well able to instantly crush the skulls of most of the creatures they decide to eat or drive the huge talons into the brains of a predator.
Bach Harpies are designed to hunt through the forest canopy and thus have longer tails and shorter broader wings than some of their relations. Their plumage is usually slate grey in colour with white markings.
Hunting Tactics
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A Bach Harpy will stake out a section of jungle canopy as her own and defend it vigorously. Often she'll choose a prominent perch high up in a tree and spend hours at a time surveying the treetops with her keen vision. Any trace of movement will sends her aloft to investigate. (Usually with the sun behind her.)
Once she is certain she has spotted a suitable prey item, she crashes down upon it (often through the canopy itself) and endeavors to clamp her massive feet upon the skull of her target. This attack almost always kills instantly.
This is of vital importance to her as most of her prey consists of large primates and Lemurians which are quite capable of turning on her and ripping out handfuls of feathers grounding her.
And a harpy that can't fly quickly becomes lunch or starves.
Her favorite prey however are the sloths are feed high amongst the treetops and make a nice meal. Although Bach Harpies are known to occasionally take other prey such as Fairies, Canopy Pantaurs and on occasion small Dridders, Nagas and even other harpies.
Society
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Bach Harpies by and large prefer a solitary lifestyle although on occasion a mother will share a territory with her daughter for many years if prey is plentiful. On the whole they avoid any confrontations with their powerful neighbors (unless hungry) and generally keep to themselves.
Except when mating.
Interesting fact about this powerful and intimidating harpy is that they actually often become extremely shy and bashful when looking for partners. Due to their preferred habitat they rarely come into contact with species capable of mating with them so they take the whole business VERY seriously.
Its not at all unheard of for a lone male human to be abducted from a caravan through the jungle and wooed by a Bach Harpy many times his size and cursing like a sailor. Often he is released exhausted and dazed afterwards. (Bach Harpies believe strongly in preserving resources).
Other species of note that visit The Bach include
The Lammergeyer Harpy.
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This variety of Harpy is ENORMOUS with a wide wingspan but rare amongst its relations in that it specializes in eating bone of all things. They visit The Bach in order to drop the bones (and tortoises) they find upon its rocky slopes in order to crack them open. They prefer the mountain to the jungle but often venture into it looking for new territories and Kensha Beast kills which they plunder for the left overs. Although they are a VERY large species with a impressive wingspan they have weaker feet than most other types of harpy and strongly prefer meals that don't fight back.
(Not that they won't gulp up a human-sized morsel should one come within reach. And they have been known to drop bones upon unsuspecting passersby.)
They vary in colour from a pale yellow to a rare blue. In size they stand about 60 feet in height with a wider wingspan than most other harpies.
Osprey Harpy
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A VERY rare visitor to The Bach. This magnificent harpy is one of the very few predators that has a specialized diet living in the area. Solely a fish and mermaid eater, the Osprey Harpy perches near large bodies of water waiting for its prey to come too close to the surface and diving upon the fish or mer-folk to transfix their long slender talons into the doomed creatures body and haul them away.
Subject: Bach Harpies 
Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:00 pm
