Harpies that have not joined human civilisation prefer to nest together in small families or clans, where they can pool their resources for more effective hunting and raiding. They are particularly fond of marshlands or forested areas as dense, arboreal environments give them ideal places to create nests and hide after hunts. Harpy clans will fly from place to place as the harvests become scarce. If one particular town is thoroughly despoiled, the harpies will move on to the next one.
 The harpy clan is typically made of several harpies related by blood and their mates who are brought into the clan for as long as the relationship lasts. They are usually ruled by the eldest harpy, who is normally referred to as âgrandmotherâ by the rest of the clan. Normally this harpy will die of old age or be killed on a hunt, in which case their child or partner will take over their position. Although itâs rare to happen, it is possible for members of the clan to challenge a bad leader and attempt to overpower them in a fight.
 Harpies tend to have the physical characteristics typical of women in the area they are born, though on average they stand about 5â2â tall and weigh 40 kilograms. Their weight is so much lower than the average humans because their bones are hollow, like a bird, to allow for better flight. The hollow cavities in the bones contain extensions of the air sacs from the lungs, allowing harpies to get the oxygen they need to fly quickly and easily. A harpyâs cells age at a fifth the rate humans, they have an average life expectancy of 390, placing puberty between the age of 50 and 85.
 A harpyâs avian characteristics tend to reflect the climate of their region. In temperate seasonal climates, harpies may have the talons and wings of an eagle or vulture while in marine regions, they may have gull or albatross characteristics and in tropical climes, they have been observed with the bright plumage of birds of paradise. Harpies have dagger-like teeth which have evolved especially for their primarily carnivorous diet, though when food becomes more scarce theyâll eat fruit or any type of food they can find.
 Harpies and sirens have been confused for each other by humans for as long as both species have been observed, this is mostly because harpies have an amazing vocal range and the capacity to create obviously inhuman tones, akin to birdsong. The song effects those who listen to it and causes them to move towards the harpy, their minds blanked by the songâs beauty.
 Harpies do not have the same rigid gender structure as humans, despite the belief that they are an entirely female species by those who have seen them. This misinformation spread because they share a lot of physical appearance traits with feminine humans and as a private species there was not a lot of first-hand contact between them and humans beyond harpies punishing those they believed to deserve it.
 In reality, harpies have multiple sexes amongst their species; there are those with female sexual organs, male sexual organs and some with both along with a couple others. Harpies very rarely care whether your use of pronouns matches your sexual organs, as it isnât rare for a harpy to change pronouns multiple times throughout their lives, despite this clans tend to have a personal preference for the use of one over the others.
 Harpies use a courtship ritual in order to attract a partner from one of the nearby clans, this includes several stages, from initially claiming territory to actually wooing a prospective mate with visual and auditory displays such as stunning plumage, spectacular flights, intricate songs, or even elaborate dances, depending on the location of a particular harpy clan. Despite a biological urge to go through with these traditions, it has started to die out as modern harpies have adjusted to a more human method of meeting partners or moved into human cities.
  Harpies with female sexual organs are also able to lay eggs that develop into healthy offspring without fertilisation, this is an ability that developed through evolution to ensure the survival of their species when a member of a clan is kicked out or worse circumstances cause them to separate from the rest of their clan.
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