Tarkalean Condor

A large avian lifeform native to the planet Tarkalea, and one of the most iconic of that world’s many raptors. Making its home in numerous mountainous valleys, the Tarkalean condor soars on updrafts of warm air as they tear through the ravines. The condors possess drab plumage, a long thin neck and a hooked beak. Their wingspan is up to five metres, although three or four are more common. Its body, by contrast, is small, plump and stocky, with two ungainly but strong double-jointed legs. These birds are large, stupid and aggressive enough to pose a hazard to aircraft operating in the Tarkalean skies.

Tarkalean condors will gladly eat the eggs of other birds, and even the hatchlings if they can. More typically, they dine on carrion from other bird kills, or on Tarkalean sheep (actually a kind of feathered tapir) that fall from the mountainsides during storms or cyclones. With the great life provided by their large wings, Tarkalean condors can stay aloft longer than most birds, giving them the advantage in contests over fresh corpses or soon-to-be-available nesting spots. They primarily strike live prey or competitors with their beaks, using their talons to manipulate carrion. They are known to place and balance particularly choice carrion on their backs for transport.

During his stint as a "Solid" in 2373, shape-shifter Odo had an embarrassing experience when, in chasing two Yridian dabo cheaters, he instinctively jumped off the second level of the Promenade. He confessed to Benjamin Sisko that he had intended to turn into a Tarkalean condor. Sisko thought doing so would have been impressive; Odo agreed, which made his experience all the more humiliating.