Squawks

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“Squawks is the one animal that you cannot ride, but he is helpful nonetheless. You can find him in the darkest cave level. Once you release him, he will hold a flashlight that will help light your path. Because he is so essential to success in this darkened level, he's not too hard to find when you need him.”
Donkey Kong Country manual, page 25

Squawks the Parrot is a parrot and an Animal Friend in the Donkey Kong franchise, and he first appears in Donkey Kong Country. Squawks has the most non-cameo appearances of any Animal Friend and is the only one whose role differs between some of his appearances.

Squawks has a related purple variant named Quawks, who appears in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

History

Donkey Kong franchise

Donkey Kong Country

Artwork of Squawks the Parrot from Donkey Kong Country
Artwork of Squawks holding a lantern from Donkey Kong Country

In Donkey Kong Country, Squawks only appears in one level, Torchlight Trouble. His Animal Crate appears at the start, and when Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong break it open, Squawks begins to follow the Kongs through the dark cavern. Squawks is about half the size of the Kongs, and he carries a bright lantern with his talons and uses it to light up the surrounding area, which enables Donkey Kong and Diddy to see a bit of the path ahead. Squawks is the only Animal Friend who cannot be mounted and to not have an associated Animal Token and its own corresponding area.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

Squawks and the Kongs flying around the first Kannon of Bramble Scramble in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
Squawks carrying the Kongs in Bramble Scramble of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

In Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest, Squawks not only has a much larger role, but was also made larger, around the size of Diddy and Dixie Kong. He no longer carries a lantern around, but instead is able to carry the Kongs with his talons and fly them around. Aside from height, Squawks has a somewhat similar appearance as in Donkey Kong Country: his official artwork was recycled from the previous game but with some added detail and the removal of his lantern.

Squawks can spit out an unlimited number of eggs to attack other enemies. In some levels, the Kongs can ride Squawks after freeing him from his Animal Crate. In some other levels, the Kongs can directly transform into Squawks by jumping into an Animal Barrel. In both cases, the player can control Squawks until he passes the No Animal Sign. Squawks can fly around faster when transformed into, because he is not slowed by carrying the weight of the Kongs. Squawks does not fly away if he gets hit by an enemy or obstacle, but instead drops a Kong from his talons. He first appears in the level Squawks's Shaft, which also features his name in the title.

Squawks is the first Animal Friend to fight a boss in the series and the game itself. He fights King Zing, a large Zinger and the boss of Krazy Kremland. In the second half of Screech's Sprint, Squawks races Kaptain K. Rool's pet bird, Screech.

Level appearances

Donkey Kong Land 2

Squawks makes another appearance in Donkey Kong Land 2. He is mostly unchanged from Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest except that, like other Animal Friends, the Kongs cannot ride Squawks due to Animal Crates being removed. Squawks and Quawks have the same sprite due to the Game Boy's monochromatic screen.

Level appearances

Like Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

Springin' Spiders
Squawks in the Springin' Spiders level of Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!

Squawks makes his fourth appearance in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, where he is unchanged from his previous appearance in Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest.

Level appearances

Donkey Kong Land III

Squawks makes another appearance in Donkey Kong Land III, and is unchanged from the game's predecessor, Donkey Kong Land 2.

Level appearances

Donkey Kong 64

In Donkey Kong 64, Squawks appears in the opening cutscene, where he informs Donkey Kong that his Golden Bananas were stolen by King K. Rool. During the adventure, Squawks has various roles: he provides instructions to the Kongs at different parts of their journey. Squawks also carries a lantern in some subterranean locations (just like Donkey Kong Country). He opens most of his dialogue with "Squawk!" and ends them with "Bwark!". Some cutscenes show more than one Squawks.

In DK Isles, if the Kongs play on some Music Pads, Squawks rewards them with a Golden Banana. At Angry Aztec, when Tiny Kong shrinks to her Mini Monkey size and plays on a Music Pad, Squawks shows up and drops her into a tower where gets in a race with the Beetle.

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

Squawks appears as a common item in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast. A racer can send out Squawks to target the racer in front of them. When Squawks makes his way to a player, he hovers around them for a short amount of time: the racer cannot use Wild Moves while this occurs. Squawks attacks the racer whenever they attempt a Wild Move, causing them to lose ten bananas. Squawks has a longer attack duration if he is summoned by a Kong instead of a Kremling.

Donkey Kong Country Returns / Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D

Squawks the Parrot
Squawks's appearance in Donkey Kong Country Returns.

In Donkey Kong Country Returns, Squawks is sold for 15 Banana Coins at Cranky Kong's Shop. When purchased, Squawks appears at the bottom-left corner of the screen in a level. He assists the player in locating undiscovered Puzzle Pieces throughout that level. Squawks yells whenever an undiscovered Puzzle Piece is nearby. Squawks can also find switches in the Factory world, which are needed to open the path to Feather Fiend. The Kongs use Squawks an unlimited number of times if they can afford it.

In Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D's New Mode, Squawks only costs five Banana Coins.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Squawks returns in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze with the same purpose as in Donkey Kong Country Returns. He can be purchased from Funky's Fly 'n' Buy for 10 Banana Coins.

Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle

Illustration from page 25 of Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle, showing Donkey Kong, Cranky Kong, Diddy Kong and Squawks the Parrot.
Squawks the Parrot with his flashlight in Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle.

In the 1995 novel Donkey Kong Country: Rumble in the Jungle, Squawks the Parrot makes an appearance within the interconnecting caves of several snow-capped mountains. Donkey, Diddy and Cranky Kong become trapped in the darkness of a large cave after an avalanche, while on their way to Big Ape City. Donkey Kong has the idea to call Squawks for help by crying out at the top of his lungs. Several minutes later, Squawks appears carrying a flashlight, and he agrees to show the Kongs the quickest route through the mountain. Squawks brings them to the cave exit which is closest to Big Ape City. After the Kongs thank Squawks, he returns to the caves and the Kongs proceed to the city.

Club Nintendo

Donkey Kong Country

Squawks meets the Kongs in "Donkey Kong Country".

Squawks appears in the second part of the Club Nintendo comic "Donkey Kong Country" as an ally of Donkey and Diddy Kong. He is given to them by Candy Kong at her Save Point, and he brings them to a cave. Inside, the Kongs get attacked by a Kritter. With the help of Squawks, who uses his torch to project Donkey's shadow onto the wall, the Kongs scare the enemy away. After this event, Diddy and Donkey leave Squawks and proceed.

Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24

In "Donkey Kong in: Banana Day 24", a comic published in the same magazine, Squawks is seen conducting an "automatic parrot wake-up service" to get the Kongs off their palms in the morning. He uses a microphone and speakers to tell a joke. Diddy calls Squawks a "dumb parrot" and claims that he is telling the same joke every morning.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

In the Donkey Kong Adventure story of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, one of Donkey Kong's Bwananarang weapons, the Law of the Macaw, is designed after the appearance of Squawks the Parrot. The weapon's description makes a quip by stating that enemies are about to learn a serious lesson courtesy of the school of Squawks from this weapon.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Squawks appears as an Advanced support spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which removes fog or poisonous clouds from certain spirit battles.

Profiles and statistics

Donkey Kong franchise

Donkey Kong Country series

Donkey Kong Country
  • Instruction booklet bio: "Squawks is the one animal that you cannot ride, but he is helpful nonetheless. You can find him in the darkest cave level. Once you release him, he will hold a flashlight that will help light your path. Because he is so essential to success in this darkened level, he's not too hard to find when you need him."
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
  • Instruction booklet bio: "Squawks's role in Diddy's new adventure is much more important. Rather than just carrying a flashlight, he can now lift both Diddy and Dixie for high-flying adventures. Squawks can also spit eggs at enemies if you press the Y Button button."
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
  • Instruction booklet bio: "He can fly, but he's no lightweight! The egg-spitting Squawks returns from previous adventures to lift Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong to higher ground! Squawks has relatives who can pick up barrels with their claws and bomb the baddies below."
Donkey Kong Country Returns
  • Instruction booklet bio: "Squawks will help you locate Puzzle Pieces."
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
  • Wii U electronic manual bio: "Alerts you when a puzzle piece is nearby by squawking. You can take one Squawks with you for each level."

Donkey Kong Land 2

  • Virtual Console electronic manual bio: "Press A Button to fly. Press B Button to fire eggs at enemies."

Donkey Kong Barrel Blast

  • Instruction booklet bio: "Hops on the opponent in front of you and prevents them from using Wild Moves. (Boost: The effect will last longer.)"

Super Smash Bros series

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS trophy

Name Image American English description British English description
Squawks SquawksTrophy3DS.png Squawks has filled more roles than most animal friends. Remember when he carried a much-needed light through the caves? or when he carried the Kongs over danger? Good times, good times... Lately Squawks has helped by letting you know when Puzzle Pieces are near. So helpful! Whether lighting their way in the dark or carrying them through the air, Squawks the Parrot is a reliable ally of Donkey Kong and co. Lately, he's taken to sitting on branches and letting his friends know when there are puzzle pieces nearby. Quite the little helper!

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirit

Name Image Series / game Type Class Strength / effect(s) How to obtain Spirit battle
Opponent(s) Battle conditions Stage Song
Squawks Artwork of Squawks the Parrot from Donkey Kong Country Returns Donkey Kong Series Support (2) Advanced Fog Immunity World of Light (Light Realm); Spirit Board Duck Hunt Rule: Fog
  • The stage is covered in fog
  • Timed battle
The Great Cave Offensive Ice Cave Chant

Game appearances

Title Description Release Date System/Format
Donkey Kong Country Non-Playable Character 1994 SNES
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Playable Character 1995 SNES
Donkey Kong Land 2 Playable Character 1996 Game Boy
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! Playable Character 1996 SNES
Donkey Kong Land III Playable Character 1997 Game Boy
Donkey Kong 64 Non-Playable Character 1999 Nintendo 64
Donkey Kong Country (GBC remake) Non-Playable Character 2000 Game Boy Color
Donkey Kong Country (GBA remake) Non-Playable Character 2003 Game Boy Advance
Donkey Kong Country 2 (GBA remake) Playable Character 2004 Game Boy Advance
Donkey Kong Country 3 (GBA remake) Playable Character 2005 Game Boy Advance
Diddy Kong Racing DS Non-Playable Character 2007 Nintendo DS
Donkey Kong Barrel Blast Item 2007 Wii
Donkey Kong Country Returns Item 2010 Wii
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Item 2013 Nintendo 3DS
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Item 2014 Wii U
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS Cameo as a trophy 2014 Nintendo 3DS
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Item 2018 Nintendo Switch
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Donkey Kong Adventure DLC) Cameo as a weapon 2018 Nintendo Switch
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Cameo as a spirit 2018 Nintendo Switch

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:Squawks the Parrot.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning
Japanese オウムのスコークス[1]
Ōmu no Sukōkusu
Squawks the Parrot (Ōmu), from the English bird-call onomatopoeia, "squawk"

German Squawks der Papagei
Squawks the Parrot
Italian Squawks il pappagallo
Pagal il pappagallo
Squawks the parrot
Pagal the parrot
Russian Чик
Chik
From чик-чирик, the onomatopoeia of a bird call.

Trivia

Squawks the Parrot reference seen in New Donk City, in Super Mario Odyssey.
Squawks Park Street
  • Early in Donkey Kong Country's development, Donkey Kong was initially meant to use a mining helmet in "dark levels", and is depicted wearing it in two pre-release artworks. The item was eventually scrapped and replaced by Squawks.[2]
  • In Bonus Bananza, the player can guess "Squawks," "Squeaks," and "Flapper" when determining Squawks's name.
  • Starting in Donkey Kong Country Returns, Squawks has been given two backwards-pointing toes just like a real parrot. In previous games, he was portrayed with only one.
  • In Super Mario Odyssey, one of the roads in New Donk City is called "Squawks Park Street".

References