Hippogriffs had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly-looking. It was stated that, once you get over the initial shock of seeing something that's half horse, half bird, you start to appreciate the hippogriffs' gleaming coats, which changed smoothly from feathers to hair. Hippogriffs came in several different colours, including: stormy grey, bronze, pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut, and inky black.