Awk

Awk
Artwork of an Awk
First appearance	Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010)
Latest appearance	Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (2013)
Variants Rawk
Derived subjects Dozy
Comparable Gnawty

Concept artwork

Awks are blue squatting parrots that appear as enemies in Donkey Kong Country Returns and its Nintendo 3DS remake, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D. They are among the weakest enemies of the game, and only appear throughout the first world, Jungle. They have tougher, larger variants known as Rawks, which appear much later in the Ruins and Golden Temple.

Awks are mainly turquoise, with some purple on the underside, green wing feathers, and red-colored tail feathers, neck, eyebrows and eyelids. They have orange legs with yellow stripes. Their body feathers obscure their neck, making it appear short, when it is actually long and skinny.

Behaviorally, Awks are the equivalent to Gnawties from the original Donkey Kong Country, as their only pattern involves moving from left to right. Their only way of attacking Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong is by walking into them. Awks may sometimes appear in small groups together. The Kongs can defeat Awks by bouncing onto them, allowing them to reach higher platforms and sometimes items like bananas, Banana Coins, or even a Puzzle Piece.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	アルク[?] Aruku	Katakana spelling of「歩く」(to walk)
French (NOE)	Rapak[?]	May come from "rapace" (bird of prey)
German	Papageier[?]	Agentive form of "Papagei" (parrot)
Italian	Gracchio[?]	Chough
Spanish (NOE)	Aco[?]	Masculine form of "aca", which is from a clipping of "guacamayo" (macaw)