
The Gathergander.
Gathergander, the smallest gantuan. These tree-dwelling animals reach a maximum adult size of just 4 feet beak to tail tip and weigh only around 45 pounds. A gregarious omnivore that sticks to the tallest trees of the flood forest, gatherganders skillfully climb with hooked foreleg claws and muscular tails that function as a fifth limb to grasp branches. Named for their goose-like vocalizations, oft-repeated and nasally, they use their tails to collect nesting material in bundles; a sleeping nest is created high in the canopy each night from fresh vegetation, unusual among birds in general, and especially among gantuans. Many such nests may be created closely together, but it is very rare for two adults to share one. Social groups are made up of loosely territorial bands of related females and unrelated males. Females produce small litters of two to six young twice a year, which are protected from predators by the troop - not only are gatherganders not cannibalistic, but they are attentive parents, and allow young to roost in their nests until they are around half grown. Though young find their own food, they are often indirectly assisted, picking up whatever the adults in the group drop. Leaves, shoots, fruit, seeds, insects, eggs, and small animals are all taken readily.