Broadwing

Overview
The majority of pegasi in harness to a pilot are broadwings. Found all over the world, they're sturdy, reliable, and robust, popular companions and partners. Broadwings are the workhorse (har har) of the world, and will do almost any job. They tend to fly like ravens, crows, and eagles, and they’re best for herding, rescue flights, and short hops like messenger flights or mail carrying.

Many of these pegasi bear a resemblance to the birds of our world. Behaviors do not necessarily follow.

Color and Conformation
It is generally expected for the color of a peg's body and wings to either match or compliment one another. The majority of broadwings are brown, chestnut, grey, or black, though some special breeds may exhibit less common colors, such as the Opal Broadwing.

Artistically, horses like mustangs, quarter horses, and similar breeds are used for the body, while raptors like owls, kites, and hawks contribute to wing size and shape. "From the author:""I often mix horse colors/markings with bird colors/markings. It’s quite common to find a chestnut broadwing with the patterns of a redtail hawk, or a black to be paired with the markings of an osprey or harpy eagle."

Behavior
Broadwings tend to live in herds up to 50 strong, with a boss mare and protecting stallion. While they are technically omnivorous, the majority of their diet is comprised of grasses, grains, and fruits. Individual broadwings have been known to eat small reptiles or mammals, but they do not hunt, either singly or in groups. There are a wide range of temperaments among broadwings, and while established breeders will make a special effort to breed for temperament as well as strength and conformation, there is no guarantee that the docile, mellow, or intelligent strain will breed true.

Breeding/Nesting
Like our world's horses, there will generally be a single dominant stallion in a herd or band, with exclusive breeding rights to all mares in his care. Broadwings tend to nest deep within dark hardwood forests where the trees are dense and the forest floor is clear of most underbrush. Oddly, many broadwings tend to prefer stands of Hemlock, Cedar, or Balsam. No one is quite sure why they gravitate toward those species when other hardwoods stands also could make for good nesting grounds. Mares nest alone, and return to their nesting site for each clutch. They tend to lay 1-3 eggs. 5 is the maximum and is quite rare.

Broadwings will dig a shallow trench to form their nest, pushing the displaced dirt outward to form a raised ring. Inside the ring, the lay their eggs and then will cover the clutch with their wings. Old nesting sites have naturally cultivated a growth of grasses in the shallow trench, which helps mares get through the incubation period.

Variations
As with most creatures, there can be some blurring of the line between classes, and this is categorized as "variations" on the broadwing class as a whole. A broadwing may be classified as Standard, Heavy, Light, or Pony depending on its conformation and weight class.

A Heavy Broadwing is in a weight class between the shortwing and broadwing categories, while still being capable of full flight. These specimens may struggle with protracted flight or carrying heavy burdens in the air, but are solid and dependable for short trips. Heavy Broadwings are particularly well suited to ferry work, carrying passengers across smaller chasms. They tend toward a milder temperament, but require constant roughage.

A Light Broadwing is in a weight class between the longwing and the broadwing categories, while possessing the shorter, more rounded wings of the broadwings. These pegasi are generally very maneuverable in the air and tend to enjoy longer flights, sometimes becoming restless or difficult when not sufficiently exercised. They are well suited to stamina competitions and longer search and rescue missions. Pony Broadwings are generally in a lower weight class than Standard Broadwings, but tend toward being short and compact. While capable of full flight, they are generally too small for an adult pilot to ride comfortably. Pony Broadwings can be found in the grassy foothills of the Shandy Mountains, and occasionally in circuses, displaying feats of airborne agility with a child rider aboard.