Everything you want to know about...
Puckoos!
General Information:
Pronunciation: PUH-koo
Plural: Puckoos
Baby Puckoo: Bub
Group of Puckoos: A Dunce
General Information:
Puckoos are pretty much the equivalent of chickens in Wyngro society, with more duck/fish-like features. They are derpy little creatures that have been bred to be farmed for meat and eggs. While not very smart at all, most hand raised puckoos are fairly docile around wyngrew, but every puckoo is different!
They fed on the bacteria from rocks and small stones, especially from ones they find in the water.
Puckoo are one of the easiest farm animals to starts with, as they're care is not too intensive.
Despite their little wings, puckoos cannot fly.
Sexual Dimorphism
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Domestic Puckoos are colored like Koi! Any color pattern a Koi may have, a Puckoo can have!
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Wild Puckoos are muddled and gray!
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Males have fin crests adorned on the top of their heads, and catfish-like whiskers hanging down from in front of their eyes. The whiskers only grow in once the male is old enough to breed. The longer the whiskers, the older the puckoo!
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Females are bald and have no crest or whiskers. They are usually much plainer as well. They are also generally more tame!
Diet
Unlike other animals, Puckoo have a unique diet that consists only of rocks. That's right, rocks!
They don't actually eat them, but instead scrape off all the bacteria, moss, algae, and other microscopic stuff from the surface. They spit the rocks out once they are sucked dry.
They love to float and bob around on the water's surface, plucking rocks they find in shallow lakes especially.
This may be where the term "Dumb as a bag of Puckoos" comes from.
In the Wild
The Puckoo is a very simple minded animal that aren't generally that smart.
They travel together in "dunces" in the wild, and are a prime target for many predators in the world. It seems their only means of defense is to reproduce quicker than they are hunted.
They lay 10-20 eggs at a time, and breed throughout the year. These things multiply faster than rabbits.
When breeding in the wild, male Puckoos build nests and the females come around to inspect them. Those with the best nests get the most mates. Males will fight over the best nesting sites, and decorate them with rocks. Female Puckoos lay their eggs in the chosen nest and leave the males duty of guarding them. When the bubs hatch, they imprint on the nearest creature (normally the father in the wild) and will follow them everywhere, but are otherwise independent and able to forage for themselves from the moment they hatch. When threatened, a dunce of Puckoos will herd the vulnerable bubs to the center of the group for protection. If a body of water is nearby they will make a dash for it as a group.
Namesake & Coloration
Named after the sound they make. Imagine a dunce of Puckoo wandering around: "puckoo puckoo-puck puck puck!!"
It's quite distinctive and gros can instantly recognize it.
Only domestic or recently feral Puckoo are colorful. Wild Puckoo are grey with a greenish tinge (like wild carp), the better to blend in with the rocky banks they forage around. If a population of domestic puckoo go free and survive, their offspring will revert to wild coloration within a few generations.
In Wyngro Society - Farming
Puckoos are kept as your basic, easy level farm animal, and harvested for eggs and meat. They taste like fish, but with the texture of chicken.
They are kept in coops much like chickens, and feed Puckoo prepacked food. (Hard pellets covered in nutrients to simulate rocks in the wild)
Males are not often kept in farms that only harvest eggs. Meat farms prefer to butcher the males as some say they have more flavor, while females are kept to lay eggs. (Males can be more difficult to handle anyways)
They aren't kept as "pets" because they are likely to wander off and cannot be trained.
Most larger production farms only have one male available for breeding. Coops for puckoos should be built with nooks for sleeping, and a nesting area with sand and pebbles. Males must be removed once eggs are laid, as their instinct to guard them will make the most docile male aggressive.
Recently laid eggs can be distinguished from older ones by color, as they are a little darker.
Domestic puckoo thrive best if there is at least a shallow pond in their enclosure-- they love the water! The larger the pond, the better, as a small one will quickly be mucked up with their poop.
There are "fancy" breeds of domestic puckoo (think butterfly koi or fancy goldfish in appearance) with longer fins, but these are bred for show only, and tend to have meaner dispositions than the standard breed for some reason.
FAQs
Can I Make One/Draw one?
Yes you may! No requirements need to be met in order to make and design a Puckoo! As long as you do your best to follow this guide!
Can I submit a picture of a puckoo to the gallery by itself?
Yes you may! However they also cannot count towards upgrade requirements. (The exception to this, are crafts like art dolls and sculptures!)
Please also do not submit drawings of only a bunch of puckoo eggs only to the group gallery.
Do I have to be a part of the Wyngro group to draw a puckoo?
Nope! Feel free to make and draw as many as you want, whether you have a Wyngro or not!
If you make one for your Wyngro, remember that they do not make good pets and Alma will kill you if you bring one into the Nook! (They poop everywhere and will make a mess and wander all over) If your Wyngro has a farm or the ability to make a coop, they might be able to keep some!
Can my wyngro be displayed hunting puckoo in the wild and eating them?
That would be comparable to someone in your neighborhood hunting ducks and slaughtering them in public. (A bit strange and unsightly!) Wyngrew are a species with social structures, and this would be pretty unacceptable to see in society.
Can my wyngro eat raw puckoo meat?
Most like to cook it first, but raw puckoo meat is enjoyed by many as well! (It's kinda like raw sushi! Yum!)
What kind of skin to puckoos have? Scaly or?
Puckoos have a thin skin that has a very subtle, scaley texture to it. (You can't really see it) It's kind of like a really soft snake.
Would it be possible for a baby Puckoo to imprint on a Wyngro?
Yes they can! But remember puckoo are still very derpy and wouldn't be able to be trained or become a reliable pet. This imprinting usually wears off after a few weeks, although it will make the puckoo much more friendly towards gros in general!
Art Credits
Thanks you for all of the wonderful art! Images above were drawn by the following artists:
