I have a chimera as the main character in my story. She's part hawk, part human due to genetic manipulation. As the title suggests, what questions should I be asking (and answering) about such a creature. I have some ideas, but I'd love to hear what you guys come up with.

What questions do you want to ask and answer about it? What interests you about this chimera?

My $0.02:
-Why would someone do this in the first place?
-How does this chimera express phenotypically? (Real chimeras are mixtures of two embryos, and end up as a patchwork of tissues from both.) And, for that matter, what are this chimera's personality, intelligence, and worldview? Is she mostly hawk, mostly human, kida sorta both? Is she aware of what she is, and how does it affect her?

By the way, I think you'll find this quite thought-provoking.

The_Halla asked some good ones.

I'd like to add:

Are there any more like her?

Are there any more genetically-modifified human/creatures, made from different animals? In the Maximum Ride series, for example, the story is based around bird kids (part avian, mostly human) and in addition to being hunted by wolf/human hybrids, they find a lab with other human/animal hybrids and animal/other animal hybrids.

Also, I'd suggest skimming the beggining of the first book (The Angel Experiment), because James Patterson goes into detail about how the children's bodies are different than regular humans. He didn't just slap wings on them. They have hollow bones, I think (or thinner ones), and they're all tall and skinny so that those giant wings can lift them into the air. They consume 2 or 3 times the calories of the average person, I think. They have keen eyesight and night vision. Even if you don't pick up the book, I'd ask, "What makes her body different from a human besides wings?" and I'd expect there to be more than one answer now that I've seen someone take an avian-human hybrid, and really put the science in it.

I'd ask about behavoiral instincts, too, sort of going with the poster above me. Just how much like a hawk is she? Does she have the urge to hunt?

Good luck!

A lot depends on the social situation. Some suggested reading, short stories involving the so called Underpeople by Cordwainer Smith (pseudo name of Paul Linbarger)
I suspect from todays cultures, that the chimera aspects would not count socially compared to fear, attraction, sanctions about genetic engineering and perceived differences, abilities and borrowed from many tales her independence or slave/owned property status.