Size

Males tend to be larger than females.

Winged dragons are about 6 feet tall, eleven feet long and weigh 180 pounds. They have a 24-foot wingspan.

Dragons without wings are 6-8 feet tall, 12-15 feet long and weigh 250-450 pounds.

Social Structure

Dragons can be solitary, live in small family groups (up to 10 dragons) or travel in a large group called a hoard (30-50 dragons).

Communication

A dragon's loud hiss along with an exaggerated tongue flick signals that a dragon needs space.

Standing high up on its limbs and arching its neck, a dragon can make itself appear larger to ward off predators.

Dragons will spit on rocks and other objects to signal their territory and warn other dragons to stay away.

Dragons that use camouflage will use bioluminescence or biofluorescence to communicate with other dragons.

Hunting

Dragons use a variety of methods to acquire their food. Herbivores forage for roots, nuts, berries and other plant material. Carnivores use their sense of smell to find their prey, incorporating still hunting, stalking and ambushing. Dragons will eat the eggs and hatchlings found in unprotected nests. When food is scarce they even prey upon each other.

Dragons which are omnivores have two different types of teeth: sharp teeth for tearing meat and flat teeth for grinding plants. They also will swallow rocks to help them grind down bones and other large materials in their gizzard.

Mating

Once they have reached between 15-20 years old, dragons are ready to reproduce. Males are usually older than the females because increased size gives them the ability to compete with other breeding males.

The large dominant males will fight each other over females.

Dragons mate within days of the summer solstice, June 21st. 

They do not mate for life, instead choosing a new partner each time.

Sensory Input

Dragons have an incredible sense of smell. They use their tongue to sample the air to sense if prey or predators are in the vicinity. A dragon uses a vomeronasal, or "Jacobson's organ," which helps it to identify chemicals in the air.

Dragons really on sight and smell to navigate their surroundings. Their sense of hearing is underdeveloped, and they can usually only detect vibrations from the earth.

Patterns of Activity

Depending on what they hunt and where they live, dragons can be active at different times.

Diurnal dragons are active during the daylight hours.

Crepuscular dragons are only active during the twilight hours.

Dragons are generally not nocturnal due to their lack of night vision.

Some dragons are more active then others depending on their lifestyle. Migratory dragons are more active than brumating dragons, and hibernating dragons can be inactive for months at a time.

Speed

Top running speed is 20 mph.

Top flying speed is 30 mph using powerful wing beats. When in a dive, they can achieve speeds of up to 100mph.

Top swimming speed is 15 mph.

Dietary Needs

Fire-breathing dragons need to get nutrients from the permafrost so they must eat both plants and animals.

Dragons that hibernate must increase their food consumption prior to their hibernation.

A 120-lb seal can provide enough food for one dragon for 8 days.