cockatrice
An evil magical cross between a snake and a chicken, the cockatrice is more dangerous that you might think. While it does little damage there is a small chance the a player will turn to stone when hit. Players who die in this way may retrieve their gear from the statue of their former self.
This version of the cockatrice was taken from Dungeons & Dragons. In D&D they were small but could turn enemies to stone by touching them.
Originally the cockatrice was monster from medieval European folklore. There were several versions of how they were created: they hatched from a egg with no yolk, possibly resulting from snakes breeding with chicken or an egg laid by a rooster. They had poisonous breath and a poisonous gaze.