Hawks

Hōkusu (ホークス, meaning "Hawks") are avian enemies that can be found in the Game Boy remake of Donkey Kong. They are stubby and display broad crests that cover their heads. They seem to draw inspiration from birds of prey, since every member of the species features a raptorial beak, sharp talons, as well as pointy feathers that revet their wide wings.

Hōkusu birds reside in a nest found in stage 8-3 of the Rocky-Valley. It lies in a secluded area between two waterfalls and a multitude of stone blocks, primarly accessible by going down a ladder. The nest spawns an indefinite amount of Hōkusu, which, upon slowly rising up from their small cottages, begin to fly in a straight line. They make a short descent and turn in the opposite direction whenever they encouter the screen's margins, continuing their usual flight afterwards. The aforementioned nest spawns one Hōkusu at a time, and each bird leaves the stage's area permanently after turning twice, subsequently allocating room to another Hōkusu bird. Whenever Hōkusu birds spot Mario beneath them during their flight, they briefly stop to drop an egg. Should the egg hit Mario, he loses a life; on the other hand, it can be deflected and neutralized with a handstand. The birds themselves are also dangerous to touch from any side, but can be defeated by simply throwing a carriable object, such as a key, at them.

These enemies are identical in behavior to Kaibādo, bird foes encountered by Mario prior to exploring Rocky-Valley. Both Hōkusu and Kaibādo are successors of Nitpickers, avian enemies from Donkey Kong Jr. for the arcade.