Expresso

Expresso the Ostrich is an Animal Friend in the Donkey Kong series who first appeared in Donkey Kong Country as one of four ridable friends (along with Rambi the Rhino, Enguarde the Swordfish and Winky the Frog) and also as one of two who are birds (along with Squawks the Parrot).

Donkey Kong Country
In Donkey Kong Country, Expresso can run at fast speeds and glide through the air by flapping his wings, but he has no offensive capabilities and has no way to defend himself against threats; some small enemies may pass under his legs, however, leaving him unharmed.

Levels:
 * Temple Tempest
 * Orang-utan Gang
 * Ice Age Alley
 * Misty Mine

Donkey Kong Land
Expresso reappears in Donkey Kong Country's semi-sequel Donkey Kong Land. He is one of the game's two Animal Friends, the other being Rambi. In this game, Expresso's abilities remain largely the same as before, except he can defeat enemies by jumping on them. He can even defeat Zingers.

Levels:
 * Deck Trek
 * Mountain Mayhem
 * Landslide Leap
 * Collapsing Clouds

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Expresso reappears in the Game Boy Advance remake of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. Expresso is apparently bought by Cranky Kong who uses the "vast fortune" he has made from his "starring role" in the game Donkey Kong Country. Cranky has planned on raising Expresso as a racing bird; unfortunately for Cranky, Expresso is extremely small and weak. Expresso can be found, along with Cranky, at Cranky's Hut. In order to make Expresso big and strong, Cranky tells both Diddy and Dixie Kong to find various Golden Feathers scattered throughout the levels of Donkey Kong Country 2. Each feather given to Expresso raises one of his stats, and grows him.

After becoming big and powerful, Expresso can be raced against other Ostriches in a minigame known as Expresso Racing; if Expresso wins a race, he obtains a trophy. If Diddy, Dixie, and Expresso gain all the trophies in the game, they can give them to Cranky to receive a DK Coin and a picture of Expresso for Wrinkly's Scrapbook.

Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24
In the Club Nintendo comic "Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24", Diddy and Dixie Kong are briefly seen riding Expresso to an airport.

Trivia

 * The name "Expresso" is a combination of the words espresso (a coffee drink) and express (meaning "fast").
 * Multiple Expresso appeared in the trailer for the cancelled game Donkey Kong Racing.
 * Expresso can be found in the course Jinxy's Dunes in the game Banjo-Pilot.
 * Cranky Kong referenced Expresso in the Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest instruction manual by saying, "A more tragic looking bunch of useless no-hopers you'll never see! I liked Expresso and Winky--where have they gone?", as well as in the Donkey Kong 64 instruction manual with, "I just hope they've included poor old Winky and Expresso this time instead of that bone-brained rhino that always seems to get in the games."
 * Although he never appeared in the original game, official artwork of his Monkey Museum included in the manual of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest also includes Expresso in place of Winky.
 * He is similar to an Ostro from Super Mario Bros. 2, as both are ostriches the hero can ride. But Ostro is an enemy while Expresso never attacks Donkey Kong.
 * When Expresso touches an enemy or gets touched by an enemy, his scream is the same as when Mini-Neckies are defeated in the SNES version of Donkey Kong Country.