Mantellian flutterplumes had acute eyesight and four legs that ended in two sharp, curved talons. Their skin was a fair color and their body was covered in multi-colored feathers with the exception of the legs, neck, and face. The creatures had two wings and a long tail, as well as a beak and a tongue. They had two eyes, and a tall plume protruded up from the top of their head.
Flutterplumes had a never-ending carnivorous appetite, and they scavenged the wastes and of their homeworld of Ord Mantell for food. The creatures could be seen in flocks of three or four gliding along thermal currents.
Throughout the violent history of Ord Mantell, the vibrant flutterplumes were drawn to the blood and death left behind by battles. Those responding to the battlefields, whether to scavenge or to assist the wounded, often had to fight off flocks of the birds. Injured soldiers frequently had to fend off attacks from the birds while waiting for medics to arrive.
Ord Mantell, homeworld of the Mantellian flutterplume
Though native to the Mid Rim planet Ord Mantell, a sizable population of flutterplumes dwelt on Alderaan before its destruction in 0 BBY. It was likely that they were also introduced to other temperate worlds. The birds' colorful feathers were considered good-luck charms, and it was seen as lucky for someone to find an intact feather or retrieve one after being attacked by the avians.
Mantellian flutterplumes were introduced to Star Wars canon in Savage Spirits, a sourcebook for Fantasy Flight Games' Star Wars roleplaying game released on June 2, 2016. The creatures originated in the Star Wars Legends junior novel Young Jedi Knights: Return to Ord Mantell, which was released on May 1, 1998.
- Savage Spirits
- Allies and Adversaries
- Gadgets and Gear