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Alerion (sometimes known asAvalerion) is a term for a heraldic bird. Historically, it referred to the regularheraldic eagle. Later, heralds used the termalerion to refer to "baby eagles" or "eaglets". To differentiate them from mature eagles, alerions were shown as aneagle displayed inverted without a beak or claws (disarmed). To differentiate it from adecapitate (headless) eagle, the alerion has a bulb-shaped head with an eye staring towards the dexter (left-hand side) of the field. This was later simplified in modern heraldry as an abstract winged oval.
An example is the arms of theDuchy of Lorraine (or, on a bendgules, 3 alerions abaiséargent). It supposedly[weasel words] had been inspired by the assumed arms of crusaderGeoffrey de Bouillon, according to a tale that he killed three white eaglets with a bow and arrow when out hunting.[2] It is far more likely to be canting arms that are a pun based on Lorraine / Erne. (alerion is a partialanagram ofLorraine).
Medievalbestiaries usealerion for a mythological bird described as somewhat larger than an eagle of which only a single pair was said to live at any time. A pair of eggs was laid every 60 years; after hatching, the parents drowned themselves. The termavalerion is used on theHereford Map near theHydaspes and theIndus, possibly based on a description byPliny.[3]
The word's ultimate origin is unclear, possibly adapted from the GermanAdler orAdelar ("eagle"). It is found in 12th-century French asalérion and inmedieval Latin asalariōnem (a large eagle-like bird).[4]
Avalerion.
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