Flora and Fauna | Farm and Domestic Animals
Unsurprisingly, various forms of forest fowl are farmed. Many are allowed to fly free, returning to their coops and nestboxes each night for regular feeding and for safe shelter from the night predators of the trees. Others are kept in cages woven from flexible willow, or have their wings clipped and are kept on veldbranches (see Farming) like Eskee or Treepigs - often with a net slung below in case they forget their inability to fly! Eggs are harvested regularly from all species and meat from grown birds is a valued treat.
Found almost everywhere are the Tree Pheasants whose varieties and colours vary with latitude and locality, typically with brighter reds and yellows in their plumage in warmer climates and duller greys and browns where the summers aren’t so hot. Their commonness has, of course, given rise to the common saying, “Tastes like tree pheasant…”
Less commonly farmers might be raising tiny Drexbats - flightless birds specialising in exploring the inner cavities of trees looking for insects, and known to be fried by the dozen as single mouthful hors d'oeuvres at prestigious events in the Fireflow - or the ponderous Qoxai of the far north which gorge themselves on the young of rodents and smaller birds in the Warming and Highsun, and on nuts in the Cooling to build up the rotund fatness that keeps them in hibernation through the winter, or makes them so welcome spit roasted between a dozen or two people at the Panglast feasting in the depths of Smallsun.