Hippogriff

Hippogriffs are chimeric magical beasts related to griffons. They are distinctly different from griffons, in that they also possess the physical characteristics of horses, rather than lions. In addition, hippogriffs possess the minds of animals, whereas griffons are intelligent.

Characteristics and habits
Hippogriffs have the body of a horse, with the wings and head of a hawk. Their forelegs end in hawk-like talons, while their rear legs end in hooves. The average hippogriff is 9 feet long, with a wingspan of 20 feet, and weighs about 1,000 pounds.

Hippogriffs are extremely territorial and will attack any intruders in their realm. They attack by diving and attacking with their claws and beak. Though regarded as clumsy attackers, flocks of hippogriffs do know to attack in concert. They can kill large prey such as bison, even being able to carry it off in their feet, but being omnivous, do not always have to revert to such things. When it comes to defending eggs and newborns, hippogriffs are the deadliest.

Lairs
They live in temperate to tropical hills, in areas where it is particularly flat and barren, allowing them quick and easy access to the skies.

Miscellaneous
Hippogriffs are highly prized as aerial steeds. Because they are not as intelligent as griffons, a friendly attitude from the hippogriff to the rider/tamer is not required, but they still require an exotic saddle and 6 weeks of training (those are fairly standard issue for most flying mounts in the Forgotten Realms, however). The easiest way to tame a hippogriff is to steal an egg and raise it from birth, but as said before, hippogriff eggs are not easy to obtain due to the ferocity of their defenders.

Hippogriffs cannot speak they are mute, and they are regarded as neutral in alignment.