“It's Chuck Time!” ― Chuck • The Angry Birds Movie
Gender:
Male
Type:
Ultra-competitive, hyperactive, and secretly insecure speed demon
Species:
Canary
Portrayed by:
Antti LJ Paakkonen (Angry Birds Toons)
Josh Gad (The Angry Birds Movie)
Arnab Chanda (Angry Birds on The Run)
Deven Mack (Angry Birds: Summer Madness)
Status:
Alive
Media of origin:
Angry Birds (2009; first appearance)'
“Okay. Pigs stole our kids. That sucks. Made all you guys look like idiots. You know what we got to do? We start replacing those kids. Ladies, get BIZ-say! (Busy) We're going to be laying some eggs tonight!” ― Chuck • The Angry Birds Movie
Chuck (real name possibly Charles, simply known as Yellow Bird in earlier media) is one of the main characters in the Angry Birds franchise, often seen alongside Red and Bomb (and in the earlier years of the franchise, the Blues instead of Bomb) as an iconic trio. He is the best friend and right-wing bird of Red, and a core member of the main flock. Gifted with supernatural speed, Chuck is capable of running 100 mph (160 km/h) and even faster. His ability makes him a powerful ally in the war against the pigs, and like the rest of the birds, Chuck will do anything to protect the nest and his flock.
Aside from his speed, Chuck also regularly trains to become stronger. He defies his lack of limbs by being skilled in karate and wielding nun-chucks. In the slingshot games, he is especially effective against wood.
While at times Chuck may seem like a show-off who's incredibly full of himself (well, he can be), he is secretly very insecure, and fears that the flock will abandon him if he's not good enough, thus the need to constantly prove his worth, which has landed him in trouble on multiple occasions. His insecurities and overly-competitive nature has led to him having a one-sided rivalry with Bomb, due to his popularity. Despite his issues, Chuck has a heart of gold, and is a valued and respected member of the flock, even if he himself can't see it.
“Floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee, Chuck is one tough fighter who never backs down from a challenge. The pigs that incessantly steal the birds' eggs don't easily intimidate Chuck, and in fact, he is occasionally guilty of being a show-off. Even though Chuck sees himself as the best bird for the job, he doesn't feel like he gets the respect he deserves. He is a team player, always ready to strike, and is the first to support Red's ideas and strategies for attacking the pigs. He is extremely competitive and trains hard every day to be as quick and powerful as possible. Chuck's hyperactive personality makes it hard for him to concentrate on anything for long periods of time. He quickly jumps from project to project without a moment's notice-and thus never manages to master the task at hand. Chuck often acts without thinking, which tends to lead to catastrophic results. Chuck feels strongly that he has to prove himself to the others, and fears that he will lose his place as Red's second in command. He suspects that Bomb (aka Black Bird) is scheming to take his place, a misconception that only fuels his competitive nature as well as his insecurities. Chuck can't see that the other birds do respect him and think he is one of the strongest birds in their group. Chuck works hard at being the best, and he gets very angry when he fails.” ― About Chuck • Angry Birds: Fed up, Feathered, and Furious
Official artwork showing Chuck's speed (possibly concept art for Angry Birds Toons).
“Ok, it's time to speed things up! Chuck’s special power is a lightning-fast aerial assault that lets him dart toward the pigs at incredible speed! It's pretty awesome to see him in action as he soars through the skies and smashes through the piggy defenses. Watch out you little green creatures – this incoming missile attack is super-accurate and crazy-fast!” ― About Chuck • Official Angry Birds Website (archived)
“Chuck likes to do everything at 100 miles-per-hour. Why do things slowly and properly when you can do them quickly and carelessly? So he does the dishes in half the time, but with only half the dishes unbroken! And sleep? That just gets in the way of doing stuff. Each night he falls asleep accidentally after tiring himself out too much. I’m not tired…I’m not tired…ZZZZZZZZZZZ” ― About Chuck • Official Angry Birds Website (archived)
Official artwork showing Chuck practicing his karate moves.
Even Chuck's interests are lightning fast! He can't get himself to stay invested on one thing for too long, and constantly switches hyperfixations because of this.
“Chuck has 100s of random thoughts a minute, making it hard for him to focus on a single thing. One moment he’s 100% committed to a group activity, and the next he’s off on his own adventure completely forgetting what he just agreed to! He gets bored really easily, so every day it’s a new hobby: surfing, painting, karate, origami and many more. Just pick one and stick with it, bird!” ― About Chuck • Official Angry Birds Website (archived)
However, Chuck's love for karate is something that's a bit more consistent, and it's a neat trait that adds to his character. He also has a pair of nun-chucks too! These parts of Chuck's personality make him a comically entertaining character as well as a lovable dork, especially in Angry Birds Toons, where there are several episodes that are centered around him.
Official artwork showing Chuck attempting to upstage Bomb.
“This is the ultimate bird poser who loves spending time admiring his feathers in the mirror. He's such a show-off who likes to think the “duck face” internet meme was named after him! Chuck seems confident, but inside there's also a frightened little birdie who's scared of many things. Not exactly the image he wants of an extra tough and fearless action hero ready to take on the world!” ― About Chuck • Official Angry Birds Website (archived)
“How do I prove to everyone that I'm the bravest one of all? In the last brou-ha-ha against the pigs, it was the Black Bird who saved the day. Again! Those darn pigs! Next time I'll show them what's what!” ― Chuck • Angry Birds Moon Festival Comic
While Chuck's egocentric antics are played for laughs, there is more to him than that. The Angry Birds Toons episodes "The Bird that Cried Pig" and "Didgeridork" show that Chuck envies Bomb's popularity, and that can cause people to make comparisons to similar egotistical characters who seek the spotlight, such as Daffy Duck or Darkwing Duck, but Chuck's glory-seeking comes from him feeling underappreciated and undervalued in the flock. Chuck loves being a part of the flock and cares deeply for the birds in it, and he's afraid that they might leave him behind or even replace him. While he may come across as a show-off, what Chuck really wants is to impress the flock and prove himself worthy of being a part of it. Chuck's insecurities and feelings of anger and frustration towards others and himself for not appreciating him enough or not being good enough himself are things that others in real life may be able to relate to, and that is part of what makes Chuck such a fan favorite character.
It may come as a surprise that Chuck's ambitions have been a part of his character, even very early in the series history, before he was even named Chuck and was simply called "Yellow Bird", and this can be seen in the Moon Festival and New Year's comics.
Chuck does understand that it's not all about him. Of course, like the other birds, Chuck does his part to protect the eggs and he takes his duty seriously. As mentioned above, Chuck cares deeply for the other members of the flock, and that can be seen in Angry Birds Toons episodes like "Chuck Time" and "Oh Gnome!". Chuck can even put his one-sided rivalry with Bomb aside in "Mind the Pony", where they act like bros. With how the flock are seemingly the only birds on Piggy Island, they're basically family. He might not get everything right, and may seem completely self-centered and even scheming at his worst, but Chuck is usually well-meaning in his intentions.
He has a great relationship dynamic with Red, where he's a bit of a doofus and Red has to put up with his shenanigans but still cares about him (ex: "Chuck Time" and "Thunder Chuck"). In fact, Red × Chuck has become quite a popular ship within the Angry Birds fandom, to the point of being noticed by Red himself. Also, Chuck's relationship with Red cannot be brought up without also mentioning "The Miracle of Life", which has become an infamous episode of Angry Birds Toons even outside those familiar with Angry Birds lore.
“Everyone knows the yellow bird is the fast bird. Designing Chuck was all about speed. He's a wedge, basically. Those triangular shapes are all about a leading edge and a point. We liked his long beak, because we treated him like a character who doesn't have personal bounds. When he talks to you, he's going to get up in your face, and his beak will be right in your face. He doesn't know it, but he's getting too close. So, it was all about design elements that will show speed. Part of that was the long head and tail feathers that drape back naturally, so even standing still he looks like he's fast. Even down to the design of his individual feathers, they're little triangles. Everything about him is points and triangles, because he's aggressive and in your face.” ― Clay Kaytis, director of The Angry Birds Movie, on Chuck's design • The Art of the Angry Birds Movie
His design is simple, yet unique. His cone shape makes him stand out among the other birds, and his points and triangles help convey his speed. Since he isn't round like the other birds, the triangular shape of Chuck's design allows him to use his edges to make him "kick" or "tiptoe" despite having no limbs. His anthropomorphized design in the movies is also great, not only because he's built like a banana, but when he's shot out of the slingshot, he can tuck in to resemble his classic cone shape. He also has a ton of great and funny facial expressions in the cartoons, movies, and comics.
Angry Qualities
There is a lot of potential to be had with exploring Chuck's fears, insecurities, and aspirations to be admired more, but he's mostly treated like a joke, and those parts of his character seem to be long forgotten ever since The Angry Birds Movie.
In "Photochucked", he acts too self-centered and egotistical, going from a lovable dork to a self-obsessed idiot.
His VA in Angry Birds: Summer Madness, Deven Mack, is also the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog in Sonic Prime.
Chuck and Sonic has officially crossed over in 2015, with Sonic being a playable character for a limited time in Angry Birds Epic and Chuck, as well as Red and Bomb, being added as playable characters in Sonic Dash, and unlike Sonic in Angry Birds Epic, the birds remain playable in Sonic Dash long after the crossover event has ended as long as they were unlocked during it.
Another interesting thing is that in 2023, SEGA, the company behind Sonic, has officially acquired the company behind the Angry Birds, Rovio Entertainment for $775 million dollars.
In The World of Angry Birds Official Guide, Chuck was interviewed. The interview in full can be read here, word-for-word:
What's the best thing about living on Piggy Island? Oh, there's so much - but I think I love the beach best. No, actually I love the mountains. No, no, I love the valleys, or maybe the rivers...Gah! I keep changing my mind. What did Red say?
What's the worst thing about living on Piggy Island? I bet Red said the pigs didn't he? Yeah? Well, I think the same. Those porkers ruin everything.
What makes you angry? Getting things wrong. Er, not that I ever do, of course. I'm pretty much perfect, you know. The best of the best. What? You've heard Bomb is the best? Who told you that? Who? Who??
What's your best quality? I keep trying until I get something right. Some people say I try too hard, but they're probably just jealous.
What would you improve about yourself if you could? Well, Red always says that I'm too easily distracted, but I don't think I am. I mean...oh, look, Hal is practicing on the slingshot. Bet I could do better.
Do you have any hobbies? I have loads. I'm always trying new things. Last week I collected hats from the beach and the week before I learnt how to surf with an old plank. This week I am becoming a black belt in Canary Karate (although to be honest, I'm getting a bit bored). I might try something else instead.
Who is your favorite bird in the flock? Red! Who else? He's my complete and utter hero.
Which bird drives you crazy? The Blues are always playing tricks on me. They just don't give me the respect I'm due. And as for Bomb. Everyone thinks he's soooo great, but he's no big deal. He gong "bang" - so what? If you ask me the worst of the bunch is Mighty Eagle. Why? Well, Red doesn't like him, does he?
What's your biggest secret? Terence scares me silly, but please don't tell anyone. Especially Red.
According to the Angry Birds Career Test, Chuck and those with a personality similar to his would excel at being a IT consultant, paramedic, or a sales rep.
He is revealed to have astraphobia (fear of thunder and lightning), as revealed in "Thunder Chuck".
