Shearwig

Shearwig
Appears in	N/A
Scientific name	Himeagea volaris
Family	Mandiblard
Areas	The Forest Navel, The Distant Spring, Perplexing Pool, Wistful Wild
Attacks	Eats Pikmin

Shearwigs are enemies in both Pikmin games. The females of this species are never seen, as, according to Olimar's notes, they spend nearly their entire life underground. The males have a dark green shell, sporting simple wings and large, sickle-shaped mandibles. They are slightly more aggressive than Male Sheargrubs, and take leave of the ground to hover up high after having lost at least half of their health to allow it to steadily return. While up in the air, these creatures are still within the reach of a Pikmin throw, of which just one accurate button-press is enough to kill one.

Like other Mandiblards, Shearwigs have an affinity for chewing apart stick bridges, and they lose health while in water. As when they are being attacked, the beasts fly up out of the water after losing a certain amount of health, so this cannot kill them. If they are hit in the back, they will die instantly, just like a Dwarf Bulborb.

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Fast Shearwigs

In 2-Player Mode, Shearwigs may sometimes pop out when the player digs up a yellow marble. Sometimes, the Shearwigs will move incredibly fast, and will eat Pikmin faster, and also move up and down faster when carried to the Onion. The latter may sometimes happen with Fiery Blowhogs in Pikmin 1.

How to Kill

Three Shearwigs take flight.

Swarm it until it flies upwards, then throw a Pikmin at it for the kill. It doesn't fly very high so yellows are not necessary. In Pikmin 1, Shearwigs share the Male Sheargrubs' invincibility trick while grasping a Pikmin, so throw a Pikmin on its back for a one-hit-kill if this happens. This ability is lost in Pikmin 2, making for an especially quick and easy kill.

Minor glitches

In Pikmin 1, there is a visual glitch that can happen when the Shearwigs in The Distant Spring by the Massage Machine are hiding underground. If they are hiding right on the ledge that leads into the water, they can be seen above ground, completely motionless.

In the same game, Pikmin that are thrown or ordered into an area where Shearwigs are under the ground attack the ground as if something were there (similarly to the way White Pikmin unearth buried treasure). However, the Shearwigs will not come to the surface unless Captain Olimar moves near enough. This is useful for when Pikmin need to carry objects through an area with Shearwigs or Sheargrubs (such as the Guard Satellite or the Extraordinary Bolt), as the enemies don't attack, and it can be used to indicate whether any Mandiblards lie ahead.