The lands of Hyrule and beyond that Link explores throughout The Legend of Zelda series are filled with all manner of creatures. Some are recognizable variations of real-life animals, while others are completely alien. Although the humanoid Hylians are typically the focus of the series, Hyrule is home to several sentient races that players can encounter. Gorons and Zora come and go, either featured or missing from different Zelda titles, but the chicken-like cucco birds are nearly always present.
Cuccos did not appear in the original The Legend of Zelda, nor Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. They first appeared in A Link to the Past but have been a series staple ever since, though they are apparently not well suited for island life in Wind Waker‘s Great Sea. Cuccos mostly appear as domesticated animals, and several titles see Link recruited to find a group of birds that have flown the coop. They are almost identical to chickens, with the stereotypical white feathers, red plumage, and the ability to lay eggs, but cuccos can also fly – even (briefly) while weighed down by Link grasping their legs.
Cuccos are mostly docile creatures, relatively tolerant of the aforementioned indignity of being used as a paraglider. But incurring the wrath of the quirky birds is usually a death sentence. In most Legend of Zelda games, attacking a cucco one too many times will anger an entire flock into defending the target of Link’s assault, a phenomenon colloquially known as the “Cucco’s Revenge Squad.” Several birds will fly in from the edges of the screen, relentlessly attacking Link until he’s either dead or has left the area.
Why Cuccos Violently Retaliate Against Link’s Aggression
There’s never been a proper explanation as to why a sufficiently harassed cucco will summon its friends to attack Link. Even in their first appearance in A Link to the Past, cuccos would swarm Link if he pestered them one too many times. The Revenge Squad tactic may have been instrumental in the cuccos’ survival through Hyrule’s eons and Ganon’s many incarnations. Many animals are stronger in packs, and cuccos seem to have realized that the best way to evade extinction is to dogpile any aggressors. The Cucco’s Revenge Squad is merciless, and even Ganon might think twice before picking an unnecessary fight with a cucco. They did survive the utter destruction of Hyrule during the Calamity to appear in Breath of the Wild, after all.
However, cuccos are not the only animals in the series that will attack when angered. Wind Waker‘s islands are filled with pigs, and attacking them will anger the whole drove (although no extras will spawn, undoubtedly to Link’s great relief). Similarly, when herding goats in Twilight Princess‘ Ordon Village, yelling at them too many times will cause them to turn on Link, knocking him off of his steed Epona. Perhaps the tendency for cuccos to attack players in The Legend of Zelda is really just a warning from Nintendo about the karmic consequences of animal abuse.
