Owlbear

Owlbears are large creatures found in many of the same environments as bears and sometimes compete for the same resources.  When this happens, the owlbear wins.  They have an owl like beak that is huge and powerful.  They use it to dig into stone, snap tree trunks, break the thickest bones, and even crush the toughest armor.  A single bite can tear out the intestines of an elephant.  Behind the beaks there are bearlike teeth that allow them to crush bones to get marrow or crush berries.

Their diet is mostly meat but they crave sweet things such as berries or cupcakes.  

In the males and females will seek out a mate and will stay together until the following spring, sharing the burden of brooding their clutch of 3-5 eggs laid shortly before semi-hibernation in nests they create in natural caves. The male will join the female in her den for this time. Normally only half will hatch in colder climates.  The hibernation of the owlbear, unlike the hibernation of a bear, is sporadic and unpredictable.  Often they will emerge to hunt larger prey or will raid villages for easy food.  

When the babies hatch in late winter they are covered in a fluffy mix of down and fur that is prized in some quarters for its remarkable warmth as down in coats and quilts.  While some might hunt the owlbears for this down it is safer to wait until the family abandons their den for the summer and collect the naturally shed material.

Males are the smaller of their species but have longer, bolder feathering on their forelimbs and crest.  THe females are larger with a more mottled appearance that aids them in ambushes. 

For the first couple months the male will stick close and help with hunting for the babies but by the spring equinox the female will drive off the male.  Males have been know to turn on the babies as they lose their down. 

The mother will then act as the only parent to the babies until the next spring at which time she will drive off the babies and seek a new mate.  During this time she teaches them to hunt and forage as well as how to defend themselves.  

Young females will range great distances to find a suitable range and preparing her den before she reaches sexual maturity and seeks a mate.  Males are nomadic unless they have a winter mate.  

When courting males will first try to woo a female by strutting and marking along the edge of her range.  If he is not chased off he will bring her large prey animals and sits by as she eats.  Once the feast is complete and she is acting receptive he will preen and prance in a mating dance for her.  If all is going well he will close in to preen her feathers.  If she accepts him she will preen him in return.  Older, pickier females have been observed entertaining several males before accepting one.  

It appears the feathers of the male owlbears are used primarily for winning over the ladies despite the fact this showy display hinders their ability to hunt.

Pairs of female owlbears are rare but not unheard of.  They are typically sisters from the same clutch and only found in areas with plenty of food.

They have superb night vision and scent.  Invisibility is useless around these beasts.

Taming

There are no domesticated owlbear species, although wizards have made many efforts to create one like the Owlcat, but it is possible to tame one if caught young.

It is easier with a male than a female.  If working with a male it is advised to geld it before it reaches two.  This is both a kindness to the creature as the drive to mate will make it measurable in captivity and a necessity as if left intact every mating season will be extremely bloody for everything he sees as competition or prey and uncomfortable for anything he sees as a mate.  If you have a female it is strongly advised to move far from civilization.  Ranger who have formed a bond with an owlbear female often find peace in the deepest mountains where she can make her den, find her mate, and raise her babies.

It is important to never hurt or scare the creature.  Owlbears seem to lack the ability to feel fear of anything except a large version of itself.  Rewards and kindness are the safest path to taming.

Subspecies

There are 4 known species of owlbear but possibly more as they are not the safest creature to study.

Polar/Snowy Owlbear

Polar owlbears are the largest of the species.  Females are 7 feet tall at the shoulder with soft white fur and feathers that make them look even larger.  On their back legs the females are more than 12 feet tall.  They have black markings similar to a snowy owl and massive yellow eyes.  Males are only 5-6 feet at the shoulder and have more black markings.

Their paws are covered in a pad of hair that allows them to walk on top of the snow and ice.  They are ambush predators, hiding as snow banks or drifts for days.  Their tracks often appear to be 5 shallow grooves in the snow from their claws.

Unlike the southern owlbears they have no visible ear tufts.  It is the hardest species to tame as they have a very high prey drive.

They usually only have 1-2 babies at a time, sometimes abandoning the weakest of their clutch.  Their dens are often dug into the ice and just big enough for the parents to curl up comfortably around their eggs and lined with skins from prey.

Arboreal Owlbear

Arboreal owlbears are the most common and smallest owlbear species.  The males have a cream or white heart shaped face with dark brown or gold edges and a large bird like tail they fan out to impress potential mates.  Females do not have the pale face but do share the gold or red eyes, and brown or black beaks with the males.  They range from pale gold to a warm brown.  They have a pair of small tufts that cover their ears that are very expressive.  These ear tufts are present on both males and females.  If the tufts are up, they are curious, if they are down they are done with curiosity and are about to attack.

They create their dens in the roots of ancient trees they dig out with their long claws and lined with nest of wood chips from trees they tear to pieces with their beaks and shed feathers and fur.

They are the easiest to tame as they are very driven by sweets and the most social of the species.  Females are known to have overlapping ranges.  

They eat medium to large mammals and occasionally fish.  Berries count for a much large portion of their summer and fall diet.  In spring they may get drunk eating fermented berries.  

Arboreal owlbears do not swim but will lounge in pools of water and splash about in the summer.  

They appear to be attracted by dryadic trees.

Alpine Owlbear

Living near or above the treelines in the mountains the alpine owlbear ranges from grey brown to dark grey.  They have the largest ranges and will often scavenge rather than hunt for themselves.  They are the most territorial of the owlbear species.

The males are darker and have much larger pseudowings with pale faces and chests they display during courting.  Females are usually a lighter grey with a larger beak.  Their sense of smell is incredible and they are able to smell a drop of blood from miles away.  When they are not brooding in their natural caves they range through their territory stealing prey from all the other predators.  Even direwolves will often give up their meal than deal with a moody alpine owlbear.