Garuḍa

garuḍa (P. garuḍa/garuḷa; T. khyung; C. jialoulou 迦樓羅) is a mythical bird-like being. It is one of the eight classes of non-human beings (aṣṭasenā) that attended the Buddha's teaching.

The garuḍas exist in rivalry with the nāgas (serpent-like beings), whom they prey upon.

The Rangjung Yeshe wiki states:

In Buddhist mythology, the garuḍa-s (Pāli: garuḷā) are a race of enormous predatory birds of great intelligence and social organization. Another name for the garuḍa is suparṇa (Pāli: supaṇṇa), meaning "well-winged" or "having good wings."

Garuḍa is occasionally depicted as the vehicle of Amoghasiddhi, one of the five Dhyani or "self-born" Buddhas [and lord of the Karma Family]. The term 'Garuḍa' is sometimes even used as an epithet for the Buddha himself.

Like the nāgas, garuḍas combine the characteristics of animals and divine beings, and so they are considered to be among the lowest devas or gods in Buddhism.