Who/what is the long-beaked thing on this book cover?
 

I was wondering if anyone knew the origin of these characters on the cover of Stephen King's "The Stand".

Particularly that long-beaked one. I've seen this character before, but can't place it.

I've never read The Stand before, but could it be one of those masks that the doctors wore in the Black Plague? It sort of reminds me of Charlatan's avatar, I can't remember if he still has the picture or not of something similar.

I know there is a similar beaked creature in Hieronymus Bosch's triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights in the Hell section. That's all I can come up with.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Resolution.jpg

I think it's a depiction of the Devil. He was closely associated with a Raven through out the book. I was never sure if he was turning into the Raven or if he was just seeing through the Raven's eyes.

Yeah that's a raven, also known as a trickster, wearing a trickster's outfit, wielding a scythe (associated with death, which ravens also are.) Just symbolism.