Bird

The common purple-coloured variety

Birds are flying, feathered creatures which appear in a number of games throughout the Rayman series.

Two lovebirds, a blue male and a pink female, can be seen perching atop the Musician's house in Mr Stone's Peaks. They are shown being affectionate to each other. Multiple copies of this bird couple can be added to custom levels in Rayman Designer.

Two lovebirds atop the Musician's house

The most common variety of bird is a tropical, yellow-beaked, toucan-like species which comes in two distinct varieties: those with red plumage and those with purple. These birds are encountered frequently in Rayman 2: The Great Escape, from the Woods of Light onwards.

A flock of red birds can be glimpsed at the end of Special Invaders

Several red birds of this species reappear in Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc; they are glimpsed in the clearing at the end of the Special Invaders minigame, and they can be seen taking flight when Rayman emerges from his underwater duel with Céloche in the Land of the Livid Dead. At the beginning of the same level, Globox sees a number of small blackbirds sitting on a wall; he seems quite entertained by them and remarks that they look ‘stupid’.

Both the red and purple varieties of birds can be seen flying through the trees of Aeropolis at the very beginning of Big Date, the fourth and final episode of Rayman: The Animated Series.

Perhaps the most significant birds in the Rayman series are the Zombie Chickens. These undead creatures are just one result of the Robo-Pirates' interference: chickens, terrified by the disruption of the natural balance, began laying dead eggs, from which the Zombie Chickens hatched. These enemies are particularly notable for the fact that they have appeared not only in Rayman 2: The Great Escape, but also in Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, in which Rayman must use their eggs to solve puzzles.

Some blackbirds from the Land of the Livid Dead

In the PlayStation version of Rayman 2, some cages contain Denys: small, strange creatures that appear to be a sort of mixture between chickens and dinosaurs. Rayman Revolution introduces adult Denys, which are known as Minisaurus. The Minisaurus have been driven mad by the Robo-Pirates' interference; formerly peaceful, they now eat the popolopoï, and may charge and hurt Rayman if he encroaches on the Minisaurus Plain.

The bird of Rayman Raving Rabbids

In Rayman Raving Rabbids Rayman is imprisoned by the Rabbids and the only way to escape is a small window. To reach it Rayman has to make a ladder using every plunger he wins. Every time he sees his objective a bird comes inside the room and defecates on Rayman's nose. When Rayman reaches the window he catches the bird and sticks a plunger onto its back. The bird in this game is blue with big undivided eyes, and could possibly be a blue tit.

Disembodied, metal vulture heads appear in Clearleaf Forest twice. The first time they are encountered they are sleeping when everything's normal in the area. However, if Rayman attacks a Hoodlum or punches it, they wake up and start cawing, indicating some sort of danger. They cannot be defeated and can hurt Rayman if he comes too close. These are probably Hoodlum invention.

Birds also appear in Rayman Origins, more especially in the Desert of Dijiridoos where some are predominant enemies, while others are friendly, allowing the heroes to step on them and use as platforms.