A few hawkstriders available from the mount vendor.
A blood elf atop a hawkstrider.
The hawkstrider is the blood elves' racial mount. It was formerly called a cockatrice but was later changed, though that mythical beast remains the inspiration for the hawkstrider. As their name implies, hawkstriders resemble other members of the tallstrider family, though their plumage is both larger and more vibrant. They come in a variety of bright colors and have a thin, curved beak and burning orange eyes. Epic versions include decorative armor on the chest and head. The hawkstrider's movements exhibit the same rhythmic, back-and-forth motion which characterizes the other two-legged mounts. They use a heavily modified tallstrider model, but they possess a wildly different looking exterior and a unique standing-jump and running animation.
A hawkstrider has both avian and reptilian features, as does the typical rendition of a cockatrice, hinting at a relation between the two. Still, there is little resemblance between the two in-game.
Hawkstriders as mobs[]
Various locations, notably Shadowmoon Valley, have hawkstriders being used as mounts by NPCs. In some cases, when the NPC dismounts to begin combat, the hawkstrider appears as a pet of the NPC and participates.
Hawkstriders as Mounts[]
- Main article: Hawkstrider mounts
Hawkstriders are sold by Winaestra located at the exterior stables south of Silvermoon City in the Eastern Kingdoms. Trellis Morningsun the Silvermoon Quartermaster in Icecrown also sells two unique hawkstriders. Vasarin Redmorn the Sunreavers Quartmaster also sells a hawkstrider.
| Mount Name | Availability | Required riding skill | Required Level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hawkstrider | [Black Hawkstrider] | 1 |
Riding (75) | 20 |
| Blue Hawkstrider | [Blue Hawkstrider] | 1 |
Riding (75) | 20 |
| Purple Hawkstrider | [Purple Hawkstrider] | 1 |
Riding (75) | 20 |
| Red Hawkstrider | [Red Hawkstrider] | 1 |
Riding (75) | 20 |
| Swift Purple Hawkstrider | [Swift Purple Hawkstrider] | 10 |
Riding (150) | 40 |
| Swift Green Hawkstrider | [Swift Green Hawkstrider] | 10 |
Riding (150) | 40 |
| Swift Pink Hawkstrider | [Swift Pink Hawkstrider] | 10 |
Riding (150) | 40 |
| Sunreaver Hawkstrider | [Sunreaver Hawkstrider] | 100  |
Riding (150) | 40 |
| Silvermoon Hawkstrider | [Silvermoon Hawkstrider] | 100 |
Riding (150) | 40 |
| Swift Red Hawkstrider | [Swift Red Hawkstrider] | 5 500 |
Riding (150) | 40 |
| Swift White Hawkstrider | [Swift White Hawkstrider] | Kael'thas Sunstrider (Magisters' Terrace tactics) | Riding (150) | 40 |
Trivia[]
Before Patch 3.0.8 the Swift White Hawkstrider was also the only hawkstrider usable by tauren players.
Hawkstriders are sometimes called "chocobos" by players due to their resemblance to the aforementioned Final Fantasy creature.