Shearwig

Shearwig
Appears in	Pikmin, Pikmin 2, Pikmin 3
Scientific name	Himeagea volaris
Family	Mandiblard
Areas	The Forest Navel, The Distant Spring, Perplexing Pool, Wistful Wild, Formidable Oak
Caves	Snagret Hole, Citadel of Spiders, Hole of Heroes
Challenge Mode stages	None
Mission Mode Collect Treasure! stages	Twilight Hollow Remix
Mission Mode Battle Enemies! stages	Twilight Hollow, Twilight River Remix, The Rustyard
Side Story days	None
2-Player Battle stages	Battle Field, War Path, Carpet Plain, Angle Maze, Rusty Gulch, Brawl Yard, Tile Lands, Dim Labyrinth, Hostile Territory
Bingo Battle stages	None
Attacks	Eats Pikmin

Shearwigs (トビンコ^?, lit.: "Flying Parakeet") are enemies in the Pikmin games. The females of this species are never seen, as, according to Olimar's notes, they spend nearly their entire life underground, somewhat similar to cicadas. They also do not possess the male's wings. 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 off 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. Because when they are being attacked they fly up, they will stop losing health as soon as they stop being submerged. On the ground, if they are hit in the back, they will die instantly, just like a Dwarf Bulborb.

In Pikmin 3, Shearwigs gain the ability to swoop down and grab Pikmin while in flight, making them somewhat more dangerous. Also, they will now fly almost all the time while fighting, not just to regain health, as they do in the previous games. This makes them easy to strike down and deal good damage to, and makes them easy targets for Winged Pikmin.

In Pikmin 2's 2-Player Mode, Shearwigs may sometimes pop out when the player digs up a yellow marble. In Pikmin 3, Shearwigs return, only appearing in the Formidable Oak, but they cannot be carried back, as they just disappear into plasm. However, they do make an appearance in Bingo Battle and several areas in Mission Mode.

Notes

Reel notes

“The males of this species are able to fly, but the females remain underground.”

Olimar's notes

“Unusual for their genus, flying mandiblards have retained their wings. However, only the adult males of this species can fly. Females of this species spend most of their life span underground. They do emerge for a period after maturation to spawn, but never metamorphose.”

Louie's notes

“Grate this beast into a zest and whisk with sugar, cream, and chopped dark chocolate for a lusciously indulgent mousse that's a true culinary coup de grace!”

Nintendo Player's Guide

"Shearwigs are essentially Male Sheargrubs with wings. You can pluck a Shearwig from the air with a toss of a single Pikmin, then defeat it quickly with a small swarm. Although it takes some effort to aim and fire at the little bugs, they provide a good source of Pikmin sprouts."

Pikmin 3 Prima Guide

"These creatures behave much like Male Sheargrubs, burrowing underground and waiting to attack unsuspecting prey. Once above ground, however, Shearwigs fly into the air and attack your Pikmin from above. When you encounter a group of Shearwigs, move out of range and attack the enemies from a distance. During prolonged battles, Shearwigs will shake their attackers by burrowing underground. Don’t let your guard down until you’re sure the area is clear of enemies."

Strategy

The best way to kill a Shearwig is to land a Pikmin directly on top of one; this will instantly kill it. Otherwise, the creature can be swarmed and, provided it does not die right away, the Pikmin should be called back when it attempts to fly upward. At this point it should be shot down by having a Pikmin of any type thrown at it.

In Pikmin, Shearwigs share the Male Sheargrubs' invincibility trick while grasping a Pikmin, so a Pikmin thrown directly on its back for a one-hit-kill is a safer method. This invulnerability is lost in Pikmin 2, making for an especially quick and easy kill through simple swarming. In Pikmin 2, Purple Pikmin may also be used to stun large groups of the enemies, which is quite helpful considering that a Shearwig is seldom found alone.

Another strategy for Shearwigs that appear near water (such as The Distant Spring in Pikmin) is to bring a group of about 30 Blue Pikmin and lead the Shearwig into the water, quickly swarming it before it can take off.

In Pikmin 3, Shearwigs gain a new form of attack wherein as soon as they emerge from the ground, they will immediately take flight rather than attempt to chase Pikmin on the ground. Once in the air, they will swoop down, grab Pikmin in their mandibles, lift them into the air and eat them. The same strategies from previous games are effective on the Shearwig. If in the air, they are also vulnerable to Pikmin being thrown at them to knock them onto the ground, or to get swarmed by Winged Pikmin while in the air. Rock Pikmin can also instantly defeat an airborne Shearwig.

Minor glitches

To do: Move to the glitches article. Care to do so?

In Pikmin, 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.

In Pikmin 2's 2-Player Battle 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 oddity may also sometimes happen with Fiery Blowhogs in Pikmin.

Technical information

Pikmin technical information (?)
Internal name	kabekuiC
HP	50

Pikmin 2 technical information (?)
Internal name			tobi
Global properties (List)
ID	Japanese comment	Property	Value
s000	friction(not used)	Friction	0.5
s001	wallReflection	Unknown (wall bounce speed multiplier?)	0.5
s002	faceDirAdjust	Unknown	0.25
s003	accel	Acceleration	0.05
s004	bounceFactor	Unknown (bounce when it hits the ground?)	0.3
fp00	ライフ	HP	200
fp01	マップとの当り	Unknown (related to slopes)	10
fp02	ダメージスケールXZ	Horizontal damage scale	0.2
fp03	ダメージスケールY	Vertical damage scale	0.25
fp04	ダメージフレーム	Damage scale duration	0.35
fp05	質量	Unknown (weight?)	0.1
fp06	速度	Move speed	35
fp08	回転速度率	Rotation acceleration	0.2
fp09	テリトリー	Territory radius	400
fp10	ホーム範囲	"Home" radius	30
fp11	プライベート距離	"Private" radius	0
fp12	視界距離	Sight radius	150
fp13	視界角度	FOV	180
fp14	探索距離	Unknown (exploration radius?)	0
fp15	探索角度	Unknown (exploration angle?)	0
fp16	振り払い率	Successful shake rate	0
fp17	振り払い力	Shake knockback	0
fp18	振り払いダメージ	Shake damage	0
fp19	振り払い範囲	Shake range	0
fp20	攻撃可能範囲	Unknown (shock attack max range?)	30
fp21	攻撃可能角度	Unknown (shock attack max angle?)	15
fp22	攻撃ヒット範囲	Unknown (attack hit range?)	30
fp23	攻撃ヒット角度	Unknown (attack hit angle?)	15
fp24	攻撃力	Attack damage	20
fp25	視界高	Unknown (height visibility?)	50
fp26	探索高	Unknown (exploration height?)	0
fp27	ライフの高さ	HP wheel height	50
fp28	回転最大速度	Rotation speed	12
fp29	警戒時間	Unknown (warning time?)	0
fp30	警戒ライフ	Unknown	0
fp31	ライフ回復率	Regeneration rate	0.0001
fp32	LOD半径	Off-camera radius	40
fp33	マップとのあたりポリゴンの選定	Collision processing radius	30
fp34	ピクミンとのあたり	Pikmin damage radius	10
fp35	石化時間	Petrification duration	1
fp36	ヒップドロップダメージ	Purple Pikmin drop damage	50
fp37	地震気絶確立	Purple Pikmin stun chance	0.3 (30%)
fp38	地震気絶時間	Purple Pikmin stun time	10
ip01	振り払い打撃Ａ	Shake mode 1 – hit count	0
ip02	振り払い張付１	Shake mode 1 – Pikmin requirement	0
ip03	振り払い打撃Ｂ	Shake mode 2 – hit count	0
ip04	振り払い張付２	Shake mode 2 – Pikmin requirement	0
ip05	振り払い打撃Ｃ	Shake mode 3 – hit count	0
ip06	振り払い張付３	Shake mode 3 – Pikmin requirement	0
ip07	振り払い打撃Ｄ	Shake mode 4 – hit count	0
Specific properties
ID	Japanese comment	Property	Value
fp01	離陸ライフ	Unknown (HP percentage needed to start flying?)	0.5
fp02	着陸ライフ	Unknown (HP percentage needed to go back down?)	0.8
fp03	飛行オフセット	Unknown (flight height?)	75
fp11	白ピクミン	White Pikmin poison damage	300
fp12	橋食いパワー	Bridge-eating power	45

Gallery

• 

  A Shearwig on the Piklopedia.

• 

  The Shearwig as seen in the enemy reel of Pikmin.

• Shearwigs eating bridge.jpg

  Shearwigs tearing apart bridges in Pikmin.

• 

  A Shearwig taking flight in Pikmin 2.

• Shearwig1.jpg

  The Shearwig's artwork from Pikmin.

• 

  Artwork of three Shearwigs from Pikmin 2.

Trivia

• This creature's name is a combination of "shear" and "earwig" – a real-life insect that also has large mandibles and wings.
• The female version of the Shearwig cannot fly, stays underground, and has not been seen in-game, but it has been mentioned in the Piklopedia.
• The Shearwig can inflict the most damage on captains in Pikmin 2: around 1/3 health without the Metal Suit Z, and around 1/4 health with the Metal Suit Z.
• The Shearwig's exoskeleton covers its entire body in Pikmin and Pikmin 2, but only covers their mandibles and head in Pikmin 3.
• In Pikmin, all mandiblards share the same internal name, "Kabekui". "Kabe" means "wall" and "kui" meaning "pile". The name "wall pile" could refer to their bridge-eating ability.