Rossan arrowhead

An arrowhead pair's nest, built atop a coastal pine. The plumages of the male (left) and female (right) significantly vary in coloration.

The Rossan arrowhead is a species of perching bird endemic to the island of La Rossa. Generally occupying the coastline and lower forests of the island, the members of the species possess small conical beaks, in accordance with their seed-exclusive diet on which they sustain themselves. The birds are noticably sexually dimorphic in their outward appearance, and the brightly-colored male is often a target of hunters on the island, as the bird's distinct tailfeathers have garnered use, especially in military decoration.

Description

The Rossan arrowhead measures approximately 35 centimeters in length, and typically weighs between 300 and 400 grams. The birds possess small, stubby beaks which are conical in shape, used primarily to crack open seeds on which they feed. Like many other bird species, the arrowhead shows pronounced sexual dichromatism, with noticable differences in plumage (that is, the feathers' coloration) between the sexes. Moulting twice a year, the conspicuously colored males, should they find themselves without a mate, produce a red arrow-shaped pattern during the summer, the arrowhead's breeding season. The fanciness of the display is correlated with female choice, with more extreme plumage colorings resulting in quicker partnership. A more modest green coloration is present for the rest of the year, should the male prove unsuccessful. The female's coloring, however, remains constant throughout the year, staying darkly brown in order to blend in with the environment. The birds tend to nest along the warmer coastline, often on branches of pine trees, and rarely rise up the altitudes of the Montesuvian mountain range. They are known to be songbirds, heard especially during the summer.

Once having secured a mate, the male arrowheads keep their coloration for the rest of their lives. The arrowheads are a monogamous species, with most specimen having only a single partner during their lifetime. Significant investment into child care is placed by both parents, with the male typically guarding the eggs while the females searches for food. The eggs hatch once having incubated for the duration of three to four weeks, after which another 6 weeks are spent into caring for the hatchlings. In the presence of danger, in order to protect the hatchlings in their youth, the red-colored male uses his distinct pattern to attract predators away from his offspring, before evading harm. Occasionally, however, this proves lethal. Because of this, males usually live for an average of 2 to 3 years, while females tend to live up to 5. Birds with recently dead partners usually attempt to participate in the next breeding season, but are rarely successful when doing so.