Editing Sand Bird

|image=[[File:SMS Sandbird Overview.png|150px]]<br>The Sand Bird from ''Super Mario Sunshine'' as seen from above

|first_appearance=''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'' ([[List of games by date#2002|2002]])

{{quote|It... It... It hatched! The legendary Sand Bird is born! It broke [[Shine Tower|the tower]] and flew away! That was unexpected...|Pianta|Super Mario Sunshine}}

The '''Sand Bird''' is a flying creature that [[Mario]] rides in ''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'' and ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]''. In ''Super Mario Sunshine'', it originally appears as an egg, but it ultimately hatches. The Sand Bird is composed of [[sand block]]s arranged to resemble a bird. In its first appearance, the Sand Bird occasionally screeches like a hawk but not in ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]''.

Prior to hatching, the Sand Bird egg is kept inside a structure called the [[Shine Tower]] on [[Isle Delfino]]'s [[Gelato Beach]]. Three large mirrors are situated around the building, reflecting sunlight into a device on the tower's top that keeps the Sand Bird egg warm and healthy.<ref>{{cite|quote=(...) Actually, it not only holds the egg, it also keeps it warm. (...)|author=Pianta professor|title=''Super Mario Sunshine''}}</ref> This process has been going on for more than a century.<ref>{{cite|quote=(...) They gather the sun's rays and reflect them at the tower. They've been doing that for over 100 years! Isn't that wild? (...)|author=Pianta professor|title=''Super Mario Sunshine''}}</ref> The Shine Tower and the Sand Bird egg are supervised by a [[Pianta]] professor,<ref>{{cite|quote=(...) That's what the professor studying the Shine Tower said...|author=[[Sand Cabana]] proprietress|title=''Super Mario Sunshine''}}</ref> who can be found near the structure most of the time.

The Sand Bird plays an integral role during [[Mirror Madness! Tilt, Slam, Bam!|Episode 2]] and [[The Sand Bird is Born|Episode 4]] of Gelato Beach. During Episode 2, the Sand Bird egg is disturbed by [[Wiggler (Super Mario Sunshine)|a giant Wiggler]] and [[Plungelo]]s. The Wiggler is occupying the device on top of the Shine Tower while the Plungelos are throwing the mirrors off balance, thereby depriving the egg of its warmth. Mario is tasked with restoring the original condition of the structure and getting rid of the intruders to ensure the egg's safety.

The Sand Bird then finally hatches in between [[Wiggler Ahoy! Full Steam Ahead!|Episode 3]] and Episode 4, breaking out of the Shine Tower and flying away. During Episode 4, the newly hatched Sand Bird can be found soaring high above the ground, circling a tower. Mario accesses this place by leaping through the hole in the Shine Tower's roof into the broken remains of the Sand Bird egg. By doing this, the player is presented with a [[Red Coin]] challenge: Mario needs to collect eight Red Coins while trying not to fall into the [[pit]] below him, and he can use the Sand Bird's flight path to access the harder-to-reach coins. When Mario [[jump]]s, momentum does not factor in as usual, as the bird's constant flight means that he has to move forward more while jumping to retain his position. Furthermore, at two points during the flight, the bird tilts its body at a 90° angle, requiring Mario to adjust his footing accordingly. Seven of the Red Coins can be found on the bird's neck, wings, and tail. The eighth one is located on top of the large tower in the center of this area. Once the Sand Bird reaches the end of its course near the top of this tower, it dives and starts from the beginning again.

Four of the 30 [[Blue Coin]]s in Gelato Beach can be found only in Episode 4's secret area. As the Sand Bird flies toward the top of the tower, five clouds pass by. One of these clouds holds a [[1-Up Mushroom]], while the other four contain the Blue Coins. The Sand Bird does not make another appearance after this. The remains of its egg can still be viewed inside the Shine Tower, but access to it has been blocked by a wooden grate.

[[File:Sand Sailer.png|thumb|Mario riding on the Sand Bird in ''Super Mario Galaxy 2'']]

In ''Super Mario Galaxy 2'', the Sand Bird<ref name=SMG2>''Super Mario Galaxy 2'' internal filename (<tt>SystemData/ObjNameTable.arc/ObjNameTable.tbl</tt>); the equivalent string of "SandBird" (en_name) is「大砂鳥」(jp_name)</ref> appears only in the [[Slipsand Galaxy]], in the mission [[Sailing the Sandy Seas]]. This time, it is a bird-shaped raft that is made of sand parts that disappear when hit by [[cactus|cacti]] and enemy attacks, such as a [[Magikoopa]]'s beams or [[Homing Chomp]]s. However, they reappear after some seconds. Within the mission, Mario or [[Luigi]] must ride the Sand Bird to avoid falling into the [[quicksand]] that makes up the surface of its planet until he reaches a [[Power Star]].

==Names in other languages==

|JapM=Great Sand Bird

|SpaEM=Sand Bird

|FreEM=Sand Bird

|Ger=Sandvogel

|GerM=Sand Bird

|Ita=Uccello di Sabbia

|ItaM=Sand Bird

 

{{Super Mario Sunshine}}

{{SMG2}}

[[Category:Platforms]]

[[Category:Vehicles]]

[[Category:Super Mario Galaxy 2 objects]]

[[Category:Super Mario Sunshine characters]]

[[it:Uccello di Sabbia]]