Parrot Hog

 Parrot Hog

Habitat: Long Island; Cove Haven
Type: Medium Reptilian Herbivore
Length: 3 To 4 Feet
Height: 1.5 To 2 Feet (at shoulder)
Weight: 100 To 140 Pounds

Parrot Hog feeding








The Parrot Hog is a small, sturdy plant eater and the most commonly found herbivore in the forest of Cove Haven. It is named for its short, beaked snout, which gives it a resemblance to a parrot, combined with its stocky, pig-like body. Despite its unusual appearance, it is a harmless and adaptable herbivore.

In build, the Parrot Hog is low to the ground, with a compact, barrel-shaped body and strong limbs. Its head is held close to the ground while feeding, and its forelimbs are slightly splayed, giving it a steady, grounded stance. The snout ends in a hard, sharp-edged beak used for cutting vegetation, and just behind it sits a pair of short, curved tusks. These tusks are not large, but are clearly visible and are used for digging, rooting, or defense.

The Parrot Hog feeds on a wide range of plant material, including roots, shoots, and low-growing foliage. It is often seen rooting through soft soil and leaf litter in search of food, using its beak to cut and pull vegetation free. Its feeding habits allow it to take advantage of plants that larger herbivores tend to ignore.

Parrot Hogs are frequently encountered in groups, especially in areas where plant life is dense. They are active for much of the day, moving through the forest in herds of up to thirty adults. When alarmed, they scatter and can retreat quickly into thick undergrowth without a trace.

Typical herd of Parrot Hogs






The Parrot Hog shares its habitat with several larger herbivores, including the Sailgrazer and the Slopeback, as well as smaller animals like the flightless parrot and local tortoises. It also lives alongside the semi-aquatic Bump Grazer near wetter areas. Due to its smaller size, the Parrot Hog occupies the lower vegetation layers, feeding on plants that larger animals often pass over. Its constant rooting also helps turn over soil and leaf litter, contributing to the health of the forest floor.

It is preyed upon by the Sailhunter, which can easily overpower it, and may also fall victim to the Broadhead near water sources. As a result, Parrot Hogs are alert animals, relying on their senses and tendency to remain in groups to detect danger early. When cornered, the Parrot Hog can defend itself fiercely with its sharp beak and tusks. Unfortunately, they are still not much help against the much larger Sailhunter.

Parrot Hog preyed on by Sailhunter







During the breeding season, the separate Parrot Hog groups gather together into a single, massive herd. The swarm of individuals can often be heard from far away as they make low, grunting calls to communicate with one another. These vocalizations likely help to distinguish between family groups, preventing inbreeding among close relatives.

The Parrot Hog is the smallest and most common of the three large herbivores in Cove Haven, and it plays an important role near the base of the food chain.

  • Naturalist Note: The Parrot Hog is likely a synapsid reptile, part of a family called dicynodonts. This group of herbivores is characterized by their curved beaks and two upper tusks. There are two dicynodonts mentioned by Daniel, and both of them inhabit Long Island. 
    The Parrot Hog of Cove Haven is probably Lystrosaurus, a smaller animal with a more rounded head. In the swamps at the other end of Long Island live the Parrot Ox, which are much larger than the Parrot Hog, with a domed head. This is likely either Kannemeyeria, Placerias, or a close relative.
    As synapsid reptiles, the Parrot Hog and Parrot Ox are more closely related to the sailed pelycosaurs of the cove (Sailhunter and Sailgrazer) than they are to other types of reptiles.

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