Hippogriff

From Harry Potter Wiki

Hippogriff

Species information
Sentience	Sentient
Eye colour	Orange
Ministry of Magic Classification	XXX

"Easily offended, hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."

—Rubeus Hagrid talking to the class about Hippogriffs^[src]

A Hippogriff is a magical creature that has the front legs, wings, and head of a giant eagle and the body, hind legs and tail of a horse. It is very similar to the mythical creature, the Griffon, with the horse rear replacing the lion rear. Hippogriffs have cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs are half a foot long and appear deadly.

Hippogriffs are intensely proud creatures, and an individual must show proper respect by bowing to them and waiting for them to bow in return before approaching. Eye contact should be maintained at all times without a single blink. Hippogriffs are tameable, but only by experts in their care.

The diet of the Hippogriff consists mainly of insects, birds and small mammals such as ferrets. When breeding, Hippogriffs build nests on the ground, and lay only a single, fragile egg. The egg usually hatches in twenty-four hours. Infant Hippogriffs are capable of flight within a week, but it takes many months before they are strong enough to accompany their parent on long journeys.

Owners of Hippogriffs are required by law to cast a Disillusionment Charm on the creature every day to prevent it from being seen by Muggles.

Hippogriffs are kept at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Rubeus Hagrid used them in his first Care of Magical Creatures class in 1993.^[1] During the Battle of Hogwarts, Thestrals were led into battle against the Death Eaters by Buckbeak, a Hippogriff for a while by Sirius Black.^[2]

Hippogriffs are mentioned in the Weird Sisters song, Do The Hippogriff.

The Weird Sisters singing Do The Hippogriff

[edit] Etymology

Derived from the Greek word "hippos" meaning "horse" and the magical creature known as the griffin. In this case, it has the body of a horse as opposed to a lion, but keeps the head of an eagle.

[edit] See also

Buckbeak (aka Witherwings)

[edit] Appearances

[edit] Notes and references

Buckbeak, now known as Witherwings, injured Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

[PoA-0] Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

[DH-1] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

[1]

[2]