Hoopaloo

Last Updated: 11/29/2023

Name: Hoopaloo

Humanoid: No

Classification: Avian

Homeworld: Unknown

Coloration: Brown, Red, Blue, & Yellow

Biology: The Hoopaloo were quite literally just massive sentient parrots. They stood approximately 1.2 to 1.5 meters in height. They had featherless bird-like legs and feet with four toes each, while the rest of their bodies were covered in a thick layer of colorful feathers. These feathers were usually red or brown in coloration, although they also sported blue accents around the tips of their wings, back of their head, and potentially other locations on their bodies. Hoopaloo were prone to easily shedding feathers when startled or excited, although the rate at which these feathers grew back has yet to be determined.

Unlike most avian creatures, however, the long feathers at the tips of their wings were prehensile and acted just like fingers, allowing them to grasp and hold things. Their heads were also very bird-like, with a large yellow beak and nostril slits, eyes with small pupils and yellow sclera, and no visible aural cavity. Said beak was said to be surprisingly sharp, capable of being used as a weapon if necessary. Despite what their anatomy would suggest, the Hoopaloo were capable of pronouncing Galactic Basic. Their overall lifespan is also current unknown.

Lore: Nothing has really been shown of the Hoopaloo’s way of life yet, as their homeworld has not been revealed and the only instances we’ve been introduced to have always been alone. At the very least, we know that they were a well known species by the time of the High Republic, and at least one Hoopaloo was a member of the Rebel Alliance (although that does not mean the entire species would have been allied with them). It has also been shown that they usually don’t utilize last names, only going by single names like “Graysom” or “Screech.” We’ll just have to wait and see if they expand upon the Hoopaloo more in further High Republic multimedia or some other Canon source.

Legends/Canon: The Hoopaloo are exclusive to Star Wars Canon, consistently mentioned but rarely pictured.

Unexplored: Full on bird species don’t pop up incredibly often, especially in Canon, so this is a fun one to explore. Because we know nothing about their history, homeworld, or extended lore, they can really be taken in any direction without lore-breaking repercussion. Exploring the usual things like their home planet, government, society, culture, economy, exports, place in the galaxy, history of conflicts, and other core features of the species will really help to flesh them out. Answering questions like how often they were Force sensitive, if they ever fully allied with the Rebellion, if they still had the capacity to fly, if they were a rare or common species, and whether they had any unique personal philosophies or even biological traits that we have yet to see will help distinguish them from the other Avian species of the past.

Additional Notes: Maybe it’s just me, but I always thought this species (or at the very least Graysom) strongly resembled the giant Star Wars equivalent of Iago from Aladdin. Nevertheless, sentient bird-species have always fascinated me, and with a little more fleshing out, maybe they can even enter my large sentient bird species hall of fame alongside races like the Sathari and the Rishii.

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