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Birds

Finch
Songbirds are mentioned in Explorers of Gor as found in the Schendi jungle. Although it is likely that many varieties of finch can be found all over Gor, one variety is specified by name among those of Schendi, that of the whistling finch.

The term finch, to Earth birders, refers to any of numerous short stouted songbirds (especially families Fringillidae, Estrildidae, and Emberizidae). Finch have a conical bill adapted for crushing seeds;, they exist in a vast array of colors, sizes and shapes, some crested, some tiny, some as large as doves. Most however have in common the ability to sing.

...In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

...In the ground zone, and on the ground itself, are certain birds, some flighted, like the hook-billed gort, which preys largely on rodents, such as ground urts, and the insectivorous whistling finch, and some unflighted, like the grub borer and land gim. Along the river, of course, many other species of birds may be found, such as jungle gants, tufted fishers and ring-necked and yellow-legged waders....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Fisher
Waterside birds mentioned in Explorers of Gor, the 'tufted' variety, as well as the white, wading 'Ushindi' variety are said to live by the waters of lakes in the Jungle areas of Schendi.

...His head was surmounted by an elaborate headdress, formed largely from the long, white, curling feathers of the Ushindi fisher, a long legged, wading bird....
---Explorers of Gor, 18:236

...Along the river, of course, many other species of birds may be found, such as jungle gants, tufted fishers and ring-necked and yellow-legged waders....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Fleer
A long billed night hunting bird which is found in at least three varieties. The first mentioned is simply refered to as 'fleer' and found in the Northern forests. The jungles of Schendi and the Barren lands would be home to two more of the Fleer family, respectively, the long billed variety and the yellow prairie fleer, also called the Maize Bird.

My master looked upward, at the moons. From through the trees, on the other side of the camp, came what I took to be the sound of a bird, the hook-billed, night-crying fleer, which preys on nocturnal forest urts. The cry was repeated three times.
---Slave Girl of Gor, 5:117

...The canopy, or zone of the canopies, ranges from about sixty to one hundred and twenty-five feet high, Gorean measure. The first zone extends from the ground to the beginning of the canopies above, some sixty feet in height, Gorean measure. We may perhaps, somewhat loosely, speak of this first zone as the "floor," or, better, "ground zone," of the rain forest. In the level of the emergents there live primarily birds, in particular parrots, long-billed fleers, and needle-tailed lits....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

...The fleer is a large, yellow, long-billed, gregarious, voracious bird of the Barrens. It is sometimes also called the Corn Bird or the Maize Bird....
---Savages of Gor, 14:246

Note to bird lovers: One of the Webster definitions offered for the word fleer relates it to 'mocking', which may have been at the source of the choice of name for this bird. If this is so, then likely, the Gorean fleer would belong to the mocker family.

Gant
The gant is a ducklike bird which is present in various climates, usually found near water. The Marsh gant is native to the Marsh areas on the Delta of the Vosk. Other varieties found throughout Gor include the jungle gant, said to be found on the riversides of the Schendi Jungle area, and the artic variety, which nests on the Northern cliffs. The eggs of the artic gant are eaten frozen.

I heard a bird some forty or fifty yards to my right; it sounded like a marsh gant, a small, horned, web-footed aquatic fowl, broad-billed and broad-winged. Marsh girls, the daughters of rence growers, sometimes hunt them with throwing sticks.
---Raiders of Gor, 1:4

I stepped aside to let a young girl pass, who carried two baskets of eggs, those of the migratory arctic gant. They nest in the mountain of the Hrimgar and in steep, rocky outcroppings, called bird cliffs, found here and there jutting out of the tundra. The bird cliffs doubtless bear some geological relation to the Hrimgar chains. When such eggs are frozen they are eaten like apples.
---Beasts of Gor, 12:196

...In the ground zone, and on the ground itself, are certain birds, some flighted, like the hook-billed gort, which preys largely on rodents, such as ground urts, and the insectivorous whistling finch, and some unflighted, like the grub borer and land gim. Along the river, of course, many other species of birds may be found, such as jungle gants, tufted fishers and ring-necked and yellow-legged waders....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Gim
An owlike bird that is seen in different varieties, the most common being the purplish Horned gim of the northern forests.  Other varieties such as the lang gim (said to be flightless) and the yellow gim can be found in the regions of Schendi.

...and, somewhere, the call of a tiny horned gim, the tiny purplish owllike bird.
---Captive of Gor, 8:97

...I heard the throaty warbling, so loud for such a small bird, of the tiny horned gim....
---Hunters of Gor, 7:106

...In the ground zone, and on the ground itself, are certain birds, some flighted, like the hook-billed gort, which preys largely on rodents, such as ground urts, and the insectivorous whistling finch, and some unflighted, like the grub borer and land gim. Along the river, of course, many other species of birds may be found, such as jungle gants, tufted fishers and ring-necked and yellow-legged waders....."
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

...In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Gort
A hooked billed variety which feeds on rodents is said to inhabit the jungles of Schendi.

...In the ground zone, and on the ground itself, are certain birds, some flighted, like the hook-billed gort, which preys largely on rodents, such as ground urts, and the insectivorous whistling finch, and some unflighted, like the grub borer and land gim. Along the river, of course, many other species of birds may be found, such as jungle gants, tufted fishers and ring-necked and yellow-legged waders....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Grub borer
A flightless bird which inhabits the ground levels of the Rainforests of Schendi.

...In the ground zone, and on the ground itself, are certain birds, some flighted, like the hook-billed gort, which preys largely on rodents, such as ground urts, and the insectivorous whistling finch, and some unflighted, like the grub borer and land gim....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Gull
Shore birds found along various coastlines. The Vosk Gull, which is said to migrate North in the spring, the more Northern Torvalsdland Gull, possibly also called Coast Gull, said to have 'black tipped' feathers on its wings and tail, and the Schendi Gull, which nests inland at night, found, as its name implies, on the coasts of Schendi, are three of the varieties mentioned throughout the books.

We then waited about a minute, and I saw several birds--river gulls--flying north.
"Those are Vosk gulls," said Kamchak. "In the spring, when the ice breaks in the Vosk, they fly north."
---Nomads of Gor, 11:137

Twice yesterday, in long games, until the Torvaldsland gulls had left the sea and returned inland, I had failed to meet the gambit.
---Marauders of Gor, 5:69

It was plied with iron, barbed. Its feathers were five inches long, set in the shaft on three sides, feathers of the black-tipped coasting gull, a broad-winged bird, with black tips on its wings and tail feathers, similar to the Vosk gull.
---Marauders of Gor, 16:234-235

Coast gulls screamed overhead. The air was sharp and clear. The sky was very blue.

"Those are Schendi gulls," said Ulafi, pointing to birds which circled about the mainmast. "They nest on land at night."
---Explorers of Gor, 6:99

Hermit
A woodpecker-type, yellow breasted bird of the Northern forest which bores the bark of Tur trees for larvae.

...Somewhere, far off, but carrying through the forest, was the rapid, staccato slap of the sharp beak of the yellow-breasted hermit bird, pounding into the reddish bark of the Tur tree, hunting for larvae.
---Hunters of Gor, 7:106

Herlit
Large, broad winged, carnivorous bird of the Barrens sometimes called also Sun Striker, whose feathers are prized by Red Savages who use them in the making of ceremonial head dresses.

It was of peeled Ka-la-na wood and, from its top, there dangled two long, narrow, yellow, black tipped feathers, from the tail of the taloned Herlit, a large, broad-winged, carnivorous bird, sometimes called in Gorean the Sun Striker, or, more literally, though in clumsier English, Out-of-the-sun-it-strikes, presumably from its habit of making its descent and strike on prey, like the tarn, with the sun above and behind it.
---Savages of Gor, 9:143

An adult Herlit is often four feet in height and has a wingspan of some seven to eight feet. The hunter must beware of being blinded or having an artery slashed in the struggle. The fifteen tail feathers are perhaps the most highly prized. They are some fourteen to fifteen inches in height, and yellow with black tips.
---Blood Brothers of Gor, 37:315

Hurlit
More specifically referred to as 'Forest Hurlit', this bird is briefly mentioned in Nomads of Gor as 'migrating'. There is no description found.

"The first southern migrations of meadow kites," he said, "have already taken place. The migrations of the forest hurlit and the horned gim do not take place until later in the spring. This is the time that the Vosk gulls fly."
---Nomads of Gor, 11:138

Jard
Scavenger bird possibly reminiscent of Earth's vultures, mentioned in various areas as feading on carcasses. The Schendi variety is described as yellow-winged.

Fluttering jards, covering many of the carcasses like gigantic flies, stirred, swarming upward as Inmak passed them, and then returned to their feasting.
---Beasts of Gor, 11:170

Within the next Ahn we passed more than sixty bodies, dangling at the side of the river. None was that of Shaba. About some of these bodies there circled scavenging birds. On the shoulders of some perched small, yellow-winged jards....
---Explorers of Gor, 49:415

Kite
A 'meadow' variety of this bird is briefly mentioned in Nomads of Gor as 'migrating'. No description found. The kites of Earth are small hawks (family Accipitridae) with long narrow wings and often a notched or forked tail.

"The first southern migrations of meadow kites," he said, "have already taken place. The migrations of the forest hurlit and the horned gim do not take place until later in the spring. This is the time that the Vosk gulls fly."
---Nomads of Gor, 11:137

Lit
The common, crested and needle tail varieties of this brightly plumaged bird inhabit the rainforest inlands of Schendi.

...Behind and about him had swirled a gigantic cloak of yellow and red feathers, from the crested lit and the fruit tindel, brightly plumaged birds of the rain forest....
---Explorers of Gor, 18:236

...In the level of the emergents there live primarily birds, in particular parrots, long-billed fleers, and needle-tailed lits....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

...In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

From Webster, to lit: To descend from flight, and rest, perch, or settle, as a bird or insect.
On the tree tops a crested peacock lit. --Tennyson.

Mindar
A yellow and red short-winged bird of the Schendi regions that feeds from the insects and larvae it finds by digging into flowertree bark with its long sharp bill.

In the level of the emergents there live primarily birds, in particular parrots, long-billed fleers, and needle-tailed lits. Monkeys and tree urts, and snakes and insects, however, can also be found in this highest level. In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Parrots
Colorful birds of the jungles of Schendi

...The canopy, or zone of the canopies, ranges from about sixty to one hundred and twenty-five feet high, Gorean measure. The first zone extends from the ground to the beginning of the canopies above, some sixty feet in height, Gorean measure. We may perhaps, somewhat loosely, speak of this first zone as the "floor," or, better, "ground zone," of the rain forest. In the level of the emergents there live primarily birds, in particular parrots, long-billed fleers, and needle-tailed lits....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Tanagers
A variety of birds said to be found in at least the Schendi regions of Gor.

The term tanager is well known to bird lovers around the world as an adaptation of the Portuguese word tangará, which refers to any of numerous chiefly tropical American oscine birds (family Thraupidae). Tanagers of Earth are usually brightly colored, unmusical and inhabit mostly woodlands.

...In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Tarn
Gigantic, fierce, hawklike, crested draft and/or saddlebird of Gor.

There are many sorts of tarns, war tarns, racing tarns, draft tarns, and so on.

One mistake that I think many artists have made with tarns is not to understand how large these birds are. For example, a human being would appear small in comparison with them. Their wingspan could be thirty or more feet.

The common saddle is equipped with a safety strap, to minimize the danger of falling. Warriors' tarn saddles often have rings on the sides, before the warrior, to which loot, of one sort or another, might be secured. Presumably there would also be saddlebags, and a boot, for the butt of the spear or lance. A flat curved part of the saddle, before the rider, can accommodate a sack of loot or a supine captive, tied over its surface. Other could be fastened to the saddle rings. Draft tarns usually carry, suspended below them, on ropes, tarn baskets. Hooded slaves can be roped within these.

Free women can also use tarn baskets, standing within them, rather as within chariots. They may, or may not, have a driver, a tarnmaster. Few free woman would think of ascending, or would desire to ascend, the saddle of a tarn. Presumably their garments and their modesty would preclude their consideration of such a thing. They would not be likely to have this experience except as the guest of a tarnsman, perhaps enfolded in his arms as a capture.

The flights of tarn cavalries may be kept in "step," so to speak, by the beating of tarn drums, the wingbeats synchronized to the beat of the drum.
---John Norman, Letter to The Gorean Group, Sept 20th, 2000

...The Goreans believe, incredibly enough, that the capacity to master a tarn is innate and that some men possess this characteristic and that some do not. One does not learn to master a tarn. It is a matter of blood and spirit, of beast and man, of a relation between two beings which must be immediate, intuitive, spontaneous. It is said that a tarn knows who is a tarnsman and who is not, and that those who are not die in this first meeting.

My first impression vas that of a rush of wind and a great snapping sound, as if a giant might be snapping an enormous towel or scarf; then I was cowering, awestricken, in a great winged shadow, and an immense tarn, his talons extended like gigantic steel hooks, his wings sputtering fiercely in the air, hung above me, motionless except for the beating of his wings.

'Stand clear of the wings,' shouted the Older Tarl.

I needed no urging. I darted from under the bird. One stroke of those wings would hurl me yards from the top of the cylinder.

The tarn dropped to the roof of the cylinder and regarded us with his bright black eyes.

Though the tarn, like most birds, is surprisingly light for its size, this primarily having to do with the comparative hollowness of the bones, it is an extremely powerful bird, powerful even beyond what one would expect from such a monster. Whereas large Earth birds, such as the eagle, must, when taking flight from the ground, begin with a running start, the tarn, with its incredible musculature, aided undoubtedly by the somewhat lighter gravity of Gor, can with a spring and a sudden flurry of its giant wings lift both himself and his rider into the air. In Gorean, these .birds are sometimes spoken of as Brothers of the Wind.

The plumage of tarns is various, and they are bred for their colors as well as their strength and intelligence. Black tarns are used for night raids, white tarns in winter campaigns, and multicolored, resplendent tarns are bred for warriars who wish to ride proudly, regardless of the lack of camouflage. The most common tarn, however, is greenish brown. Disregarding the disproportion in size, the Earth bird which the tarn most closely resembles is the hawk, with the exception that it bas a crest somewhat of the nature of a jay's.

Tarns, who are vicious things, are seldom more than half tamed and, like their diminutive earthly counterparts, the hawks, are carnivorous. It is not unknown for a tarn to attack and devour his own rider. They fear nothing but the tarn-goad. They are trained by men of the Caste of Tarn Keepers to respond to it while still young, when they can be fastened by wires to the training perches. Whenever a young bird soars away or refuses obedience in some fashion, he is dragged back to the perch and beaten with the tarn-goad. Rings, comparable to those which are fastened on the legs of the young birds, are worn by the adult birds to reinforce the memory of the hobbling wire and the tarn-goad.  Later, of course, the adult birds are not fastened, but the conditioning given them in their youth usually holds, except when they become abnormally disturbed or have not been able to obtain food. The tarn is one of the two most common mounts of a Gorean warrior; the other is the high tharlarion, a species of saddle lizard, used mostly by clans who have never mastered tarns. No one in the City of Cylinders, as far as I knew, maintained tharlarions, though they were supposedly quite common on Gor, particularly in the lower areas--in swampland and on the deserts.

The Older Tarl had mounted his tarn, climbing up the five-rung leather mounting ladder which hangs on the left side of the saddle and is pulled up in flight. He fastened himself in the saddle with a broad purple strap. He tossed me a small object which. nearly fell from my fumbling hands. It was a tarn whistle, with its own note, which would summon one tarn, and one tarn only, the mount which was intended for me. Never since the panic of the disoriented compass back in the mountains of New Hampshire had I been so frightened, but this time I refused to allow my fear the fatal inch it required. If I was to die, it would be; if I was not to die, I would not.

I smiled to myself in spite of my fear, amused at the remark I had addressed to myself. It sounded like something out of the code of the Warrior, something which, if taken literally, would seem to encourage its believer to take not the slightest or most sane precautions for his safety. I blew a note on the whistle, and it was shrill and different, of a new pitch from that of the Old Tarl.

Almost immediately from somewhere, perhaps from a ledge out of sight; rose a fantastic object, another giant tarn, even larger than the first, a glossy sable tarn which circled the cylinder once and then wheeled toward me, landing a few feet away, his talons striking on the roof with a sound like hurled gauntlets. His talons were shod with steel--a war tarn. He raised his curved beek to the sky and screamed, lifting and shaking his wings enormous head turned toward me, and his round, wicked eyes blazed in my direction. The next thing I knew his beak was open; I caught a brief sight of his thin,sharp tongue, as long as a man's arm; darting out and back, and then, snapping at me, he lunged forward, striking at me with that monstrous beak, and I heard the Older Tarl cry out in horror, 'The goad! The goad!'
---Tarnsman of Gor, 3:51-53

The goad, described below, is a tool used in the training and the riding of tarns, much like the crop would be used here for horses.

...He entered my apartment, carrying a metal rod about two feet long, with a leather loop attached. It had a switch on the handle, which could be set for two positions, on and off, like a simple torch. 'What is it?' I asked. 'A Tarn Goad,' he replied. He snapped the switch in the barrel to the "on" position and struck the table. It showered sparks in a sudden cascade of yellow light, but left the table unmarked... It had been like a sudden, severe electric charge.
---Tarnsman of Gor, 3:50

Tibit
A small bird found on the shores of Thassa, described as 'stick-legged', it feeds on small mollusks it pecks from the sand. The tibit woud probably be somewhat similar to a sandpiper or a plover, commonly found on the beaches that line the shores of Earth oceans.

There were no signs of sails on the breadth of gleaming Thassa. The great circle of the horizon was empty. There were swift, white clouds in the sky. I heard the cry of sea birds, broad-winged gulls and the small, stick-legged tibits, pecking in the sand for tiny mollusks. There was a salt smell in the air, swift and bright in the wind. Thassa was beautiful.
---Hunters of Gor, 18:247

Tindel
Brightly plumaged bird of the rain forests of the Schendi area.

...Behind and about him had swirled a gigantic cloak of yellow and red feathers, from the crested lit and the fruit tindel, brightly plumaged birds of the rain forest....
---Explorers of Gor, 18:236

Tumit
Large flightless bird of the prairy lands. It is said the Wagon People's much used bola was invented initially as a weapon for hunting this bird. This particularity would make the tumit sound much like the Rhea, a large flightless bird of the South American plains of Earth, which was hunted in the same fashion, by natives of these lands.

...beyond them I saw one of the tumits, a large, flightless bird whose hooked beak, as long as my forearm, attested only too clearly to its gustatory habits; I lifted my shield and grasped the long spear, but it did not turn in my direction; it passed, unaware...
---Nomads of Gor, 1:2

Umbrella bird
Bird of the rain forests of the Schendi area.

...In the lower portion of the canopies, too, can be found heavier birds, such as the ivory-billed woodpecker and the umbrella bird....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Veminium bird
Songbird mentioned in Magicians of Gor; it is likely thatthe name would indicate this bird to be found in veminium fields. The only comment made on it is in reference to its charming song.

Perhaps in one of these times, due to no fault of Mistress he was charmed by her voice, as by the songs of the veminium bird, or again, by her grace and manner ...
---Magicians of Gor, 21:363

Vulo
A domesticated pigeon-like bird, raised for its eggs and meat.

She was a peasant, barefoot, her garment little more than coarse sacking.  She had been carrying a wicker basket containing vulos, domesticated pigeons raised for eggs and meat.
---Nomads of Gor, 1:1

Wader
Both the ring-necked and the yellow legged variety of this waterbird inhabit the rainforest areas of Schendi.
The term wader, to Earth bird lovers, refers to many species of limicoline or grallatorial long-legged birds more commonly called 'wading birds', that wade in the water in search of food.

...In the ground zone, and on the ground itself, are certain birds, some flighted, like the hook-billed gort, which preys largely on rodents, such as ground urts, and the insectivorous whistling finch, and some unflighted, like the grub borer and land gim. Along the river, of course, many other species of birds may be found, such as jungle gants, tufted fishers and ring-necked and yellow-legged waders....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Warbler
Songbirds mentioned in Explorers of Gor as part of the Schendi jungle fauna.

The term 'warbler' is synonymous to 'singer', and applied to a species of numerous small Old World oscine birds (family Sylviidae) of Earth, most of which are noted songsters.

...Monkeys and tree urts, and snakes and insects, however, can also be found in this highest level. In the second level, that of the canopies, is found an incredible variety of birds, warblers, finches, mindars, the crested lit and the common lit, the fruit tindel, the yellow gim, tanagers, some varieties of parrot, and many more....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Woodpecker
At least one variety of woodpeckers is noted, the ivory billed variety which is spoken of in Explorers of Gor as one of the Schendi Jungle inhabitants.

...In the lower portion of the canopies, too, can be found heavier birds, such as the ivory-billed woodpecker and the umbrella bird....
---Explorers of Gor, 32:311

Zad
A scavenging bird found in at least two varieties, the Tahari species being described as large, black and white, the jungle variety, said to be less agressive. Both do however share the rather gruesome custom of tearing out the eyes of weakened victims.

I heard, a short time later, wings, the alighting of one or more large birds. Such birds, broad-winged, black and white, from afar, follow the marches to Klima; their beaks, yellowish, narrow, are long and slightly hooked at the end, useful for probing and tearing.

The birds scattered, squawking, as a Kaiila sped past. The birds are called zads
---Tribesmen of Gor, 14:232

...About some of these bodies there circled scavenging birds. On the shoulders of some perched small, yellow-winged jards. One was attacked even by zads, clinging to it and tearing at it with their long, yellowish, slightly curved beaks. These were jungle zads. They are less to be feared than desert zads, I believe, being less aggressive. They do, however, share one ugly habit with the desert zad, that of tearing out the eyes of weakened victims. That serves as a practical guarantee that the victim, usually an animal, will die. Portions of flesh the zad will swallow and carry back to its nest, where it will disgorge the flesh into the beaks of its fledglings. The zad is, in its way, a dutiful parent.
---Explorers of Gor, 49:415

Zadit
A bird of the Tahari that feeds on desert insects.

...The zadit is a small, tawny-feathered, sharp-billed bird. It feeds on insects. When sand flies and other insects, emergent after rains, infest kaiila, they frequently light on the animals, and remain for some hours, hunting insects. This relieves the kaiila of the insects but leaves it with numerous small wounds, which are unpleasant and irritating, where the bird had dug insects out of its hide....
---Tribesmen of Gor, 10:152

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research and commentary Nicole Gonzalez
editing Michele C. Clark
for worldofgor.com.