By now, you may have already taken a deep skydive into Skyward Sword HD and become acquainted with the varied residents of Skyloft. If you have been following along with this series, you likely recognize many of these friendly folk and know what birds inspired their names and appearances. In part one, we swooped over to the Knight Academy to meet the faculty and students. Part two took us to the Bazaar and beyond to meet the many merchants of the sky. In this final installment, we learn the avian influences for everyone we haven’t examined yet. It’s last but not least because there’s no pecking order here. Let’s get to it!
Batreaux
Lurking in the underbelly of Skyloft, this beastly figure takes his name from the bat (pictured here is a vampire bat). Hey, bats aren’t birds! What is he, some kind of Hylian wannabe?
Beedle
The purveyor of the bicycle-operated, dirigible shop and beetle enthusiast is named, unsurprisingly, after a beetle. I wonder if the Hylians who are named after birds get hungry when they see his airship float by. Pictured here is a rhinoceros beetle, which would surely make Beedle go bananas.
Goselle
This clean freak takes her name from a baby goose, called a gosling. It could even be a combination of gosling and the Italian name, “Roselle.” Be careful not to break her antiques, or she’ll cook your goose.
Greba
Gondo’s mother and laundromat take their name from a family of aquatic diving birds called grebes. Why does grebe sound like an insult? Pictured here is a great crested grebe.
Gully
This mischievous insect collector takes his name from the seagull, infamous marauder and scourge of the beach. Despite the comparison, Gully’s actually a pretty nice kid.
Jakamar
Skyloft’s handyman’s name and colorful outfit come from the jacamar, a family of tropical birds native to Central and South America. It’s possible this name was chosen because it sounds similar to jackhammer, a common construction tool. Pictured here is a green-tailed jacamar.
Keet
Young Keet takes his name from the parakeet, a type of mid-sized parrot. Word on the Keet is that he has a thing for Kina at the Lumpy Pumpkin. Pictured here is a green parakeet.
Kukiel
Kukiel’s name, rosy cheeks, updo, and love for making loud noises come from the cockatiel, a small parrot endemic to Australia. Apparently, the fowl also goes by the names “weiro bird” and “quarrion.” The more you know.
Mallara
Pipit’s untidy mother is named after a mallard, or wild duck. These birds are part of a family called dabbling ducks, which feed on top of the water rather than diving. Unlike Mallara, they aren’t particularly known for being dirty birds.
Orielle
Orielle’s name comes from oriole, which refers to two different groupings of birds (Old World orioles and New World orioles). Her name may even be a combination of oriole and the name Arielle. Pictured here is a Baltimore oriole (any baseball fans?).
Parrow
Parrow’s name could be derived from parrot or sparrow, or even be a combination of the two. However, I am going to go out on a limb to say it comes from the swallow, a large family of songbirds found in varieties all over the world. I come to this conclusion for two reasons: First, other characters take their names from parrots and sparrows, and the developers wouldn’t get lazy, would they? (They would. There are a few instances in this series showing where characters got their name from the same bird.) Second, Parrow’s name in the French version of the game is Hiron, which appears to be shortened form of “hirondelle,” French for swallow. Pictured here is a barn swallow.
Rusta
Henya’s husband is appropriately named after the rooster (Henya and Rusta, hen and rooster). Despite the rooster’s reputation for being king of the barnyard, many Skyloftians don’t seem to take Rusta too seriously.
Wryna
This worrisome mother takes her name from the wren, a family of mostly New World birds known for their loud and complex songs. As the last in this series, you know she had to be asking wren it was going to be her turn. Pictured here is a Carolina wren.
With that, we have covered the inspiration behind every Hylian’s name and appearance in Skyward Sword. Hopefully, you are now more familiar with the residents of the floating islands and learned a little about birds along the way. As you continue your adventure in the skies, see if you can spot these characters exhibiting any mannerisms of their namesakes. Now, it’s time for me to fly the coop!
