Tropical bird conversions?

[WizardinWinter]

Hey y'all, wanted to bounce another idea off the conversion community.
Our flying beasts are pretty cool, no beef with the models, but they way I'm taking my army, I wanted to go big and bright and colorful; really go full spectrum of the glorious sun God.

The models are again, fine, but we in-lore have feathered birds in lustria. What I'm looking for are archaeopteryx replacements for ripperdactyls.
I know GW used to sell eagle models for wood elves, and apparently still make them for The Hobbit game. There are also the slightly cheesy looking toy dinosaur models, but they, of course, aren't great, and I've heard GW can be pretty stingy when bringing knock offs to their events.

Anyone suggest any gw bits I'm forgetting? Or maybe an obscure *other* miniature producer that might have similar bits?

 

[pendrake]

The idea here is a Ripperdactyl that looks like a gargantuan parrot?

(I like it )

 

[Imrahil]

If you want an eagle as a basis to convert you can also start with the skycutter one.
If you're not looking for a ride-able one, you could go from the Eagles of the Vanguard Raptors.

Otherwise the're some more non GW options, but as you said, they might not let you play them.

Gr, Imrahil

 

[pendrake]

Did they quit making the Hawks the Woodelf army could ride on?

They had elfs that surfed on the hawks.

 

[WizardinWinter]

Did they quit making the Hawks the Woodelf army could ride on?

Yeah, those where what I was looking for, not finding them.

Did find these guys, the vulture things would be scale to the actual ancient bird, if I wanted to take them as flocks, though this mini from reaper would work as a mount, if I remove the antlers.

The idea here is a Ripperdactyl that looks like a gargantuan parrot?

(I like it )

Look, if wanting an army of surprisingly violent parrots is wrong, I don't want to be right

 

[pendrake]

Look, if wanting an army of surprisingly violent parrots is wrong, I don't want to be right

Pollydactyls...! (with three Ls)



Not to be confused with polydactyls which is a real thing; happens often enough in cats.

 

[Just A Skink]

There are also the Great Eagles from the Middle Earth miniatures.

https://www.games-workshop.com/en-US/Great-Eagles-2018

 

[Lium]

Lost Kingdoms did a very nice looking Archaeopyteryx for a Kickstarter freebie, but that boat's sadly sailed unless you can maybe buy a couple from people who got them. Perhaps they'll be available in the future.

 

[Slannta's Little Helper]

I had a skink on the old metal LOTR eagle they look pretty awesome to be honest and that was unpainted. I'd try hunt some of these models down personally. Not sure how the hobbit models of the eagles are they'd probably be the same or the next closest thing.

 

[Warden]

The idea here is a Ripperdactyl that looks like a gargantuan parrot?

(I like it )

I like this idea!

I also made a parrot, but for my Bretonnians instead

Spoiler

(link)