Keratin Parrot

Description
The Keratin Parrot begins life as a dull, smooth skinned reptilian analogue. Their hide is similar to that of a seal's in that it is nearly hairless. The skin at this point is very loose. The Parrot's 'wings' are merely bat-like limbs with thin leathery skin covering them. On each limb rests only one opposable claw. Like most 'birds' of the world, the parrot's 'beak' is hardened skin put to a point. Shark-like teeth are inside this hardened lip, giving the Keratin Parrot a vicious bite it uses on fruit and small insects alone.

Like the Logger with it's Barkskin virus, the Keratin Parrot is a carrier for the Keratin virus. Thick sheets of colorful keratin begin to sprout over the creature's body over the course of it's life.

This has given the Keratin Parrot a unique trait, by which the tip of it's beak is much harder than any other 'bird' on the planet. During preening, these animals will chip and dig away the keratin bit by bit, casting it away. For this purpose, the limestone areas around the cliffs, where moss tends to not grow, is often littered with small chunks of gravel-like keratin.

At roughly six months of age, the keratin parrot is covered in a thin sheen of hollow tube 'feathers'. These are a greenish-color in appearance. After about another month, the tubes have sprouted into the faux-feathers that bird-like lifeforms on the planet tout. They range in colors from green to yellowish-brown, tending to blend into the forest environments. On the cliffs, these birds resemble large patches of moss from a distance.

They are the preferred snack for Optiwings.

Dangers
Physical contact with a living specimen may cause the keratin virus to take hold in the person holding it.