Bird wyvern ecology : Yian Kut Ku and Garuga in Monster Hunter

The first real fight of the whole series and one of the most frequent returners arrives on the channel for a double feature as we take a look at the original bird wyverns.
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[@chasinjason107]

10:40 I'm in awe that being as obnoxious as possible is a viable evolutionary strategy

[@NeovenatorGuy]

Guess I have a viable evolutionary strategy

[@hag8752]

Lemmings Vicious little bastards

[@Teostra_MF_White]

​@@NeovenatorGuy real

[@matteolucarelli4615]

With Garuga being such a predator of small vertebrates I've always thought, this thing must be the very bane for Felyne colonies living in wild areas away from human settlements...

[@RubyCarrots3232]

Seeing as a Congolala causes such panic for an entire tribe, a Garuga would be worse than almost any elder or Deviljho even.

[@muramasa870]

Naahhh... Garuga can solo Kushala easy

[@aproudbaguette3605]

I can't see myself thinking of Felyne getting hurt in any way

[@Ed_man_talking9]

i'm halfway through this video and i haven't heart you address the theory that Yian Garuga is the result of crossbreeding a Yian Kut-Ku and a rathian.

[@b-reviews7181]

@@Ed_man_talking9I don’t think that’s true at all

[@vladislavpetkov6120]

the cutscene in iceborne has me convinced that yian garuga will willingly go up to elders and smack them around like wet paper towels, not because it makes sense but because it is positively hilarious to see an anemic chicken body a Teostra

[@marcgid1174]

I would also like to add the fact that Yian Garuga will see hunters, go up and slaughter elder dragons of unfathomable power, and then go after them being like “yeah this is a good dinner”. The funniest part is this seems like a successful strategy, considering their many scarred and stronger variants like dead-eye.

[@victory8928]

I think it has to do with both yian’s small stature and aggressive territorial behaviours as monsters like jho compete directly with yian on its larger prey items and scare away smaller animals leading to Yian wanting to drive it away but due to its size it can’t just kill jho but has to deter it with sound and harassment

[@Cosmosis401]

I’ve always loved the way Garuga sounds. I can’t exactly explain why; but it just sounds so cool.

[@androblade3009]

His roar always gave me a blockbuster movie vibe.

[@brotherpanda]

It's like an evil bell. *BWAAAAAANG*

[@JaxDaHax1]

Old gen garuga's roar is peak sound design

[@Cottonmouth255]

I especially love his Iceborne vocalizations. His entire sound design is basically “everything scary about birds taken up to 11”.

[@meghanwallace8175]

The good ol SCRAWWWWWW

[@reallycantthinkofausername487]

The thumbnail alone is golden, this'll be a good one

[@oldcowbb]

these videos are always good

[@reallycantthinkofausername487]

@@oldcowbb true

[@CousinChal]

"the best and truest Monster Hunter weapon design: monster part on a stick, as it should be" Big agree, shout out to the Espinas hammers in Sunbreak too.

[@treadingwater86]

5:06 I have personally always theorized that what separates Low-, High- and Master-rank monsters is their age. Low-rank being adolescents that still having a lot to learn, High-rank being slightly older adult animals with more years and experience under their belt while Master-rank are the older monsters still in their prime that has survived other hunters and lived to tell the tale.

[@ToasTFresh]

Kut Ku may be one of the most common monsters, but that won't stop him from peacing out of an entire generation.

[@TornaitSuperBird]

I wonder if Aknosom takes up Kut-Ku's niche in the Kamura area? Not even counting their similarities (Aknosom uses quite a few of Kut-Ku's moves for one), the long beak of Aknosom seems to suggest that it's a more specialized insectivore, or potentially a pescavore.

[@JanusHoW]

@@TornaitSuperBird Yeah, and in terms of gameplay, Pukei-Pukei is basically Gypceros in terms of moveset but it trades the flash and playing dead for spewing poison from its tail, as well as stopping to eat nearby plants to replenish its poison.

[@thedappercritter6644]

Kut-Ku definitely deserves more love. Despite how goofy it looks, like you said it fits the aesthetic and ecology of early monster hunter well, and it's a shame it never became a flagship mon like Rath or Veloci. I only got to know it through Stories, but I was just as charmed by it's looks and sounds. Between your comparisons to the sloth bear and 5th gen's greater emphasis on ecological behaviour, I'd love to have the chance to see Kut-Ku wandering about in the open and pouncing on any unwary hunters who got too close during their expeditions!

[@m1sty033]

I agree. Personally I found out about kut ku from generations

[@SyzothVeltah]

That chicken to is my favorite, although I never understood why people struggle against it even me as a greatsword main.

[@Pharoah_Nines]

Well its apparently the 35th most popular monster according to the community votes, so it's going rather well haha

[@NickRex-po8ob]

I know some people have probably already said something about this but, its over aggressive nature and venomous tail aren't the only thing that deters larger Monsters from attempting to eat Garuga. The particularly spiky carapaces it has on it's back also make biting down quite the problem. The spikes will most like lacerate or stab the inside of a Predator's mouth, which could very well lead into infection in the future. Plus with its body most likely having little meat, most Preadators would eventually say screw it and leave. Garuga is basically a Bird Honey Badger that decided to have spiky armor and venomous tail spikes instead of loose skin, not very appealing for Predators. Also can't wait for my boi Espinas, which is also another Wyvern other Monsters don't want to mess with. For similar, and different reasons.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Yeah, garuga is indeed just not very high value as a meal and not a strong competitor to a lot of other wyverns. Not much good killing him really!

[@kiryukazuma8089]

Espinas is a giant wyvern lol, it’s already at the height of what normal monster usually produce thou

[@draw2death421]

Also the carapace is extremely tough so i whoudnt be suprised if only creatures like Tigrex with their bone crushing jaws could even crack them open.

[@thewolfofcomedy5966]

Yian Garuga is easily one of my favorite fights in Iceborne, they really achieved the “spastic psychopath” energy of the original fight while dialing back what made it annoying Side bar, but I also love that Garuga was given a Choanal Slit in his redesign. It’s such an unnecessary yet cool detail that really shows the designers at Capcom take great care with their designs (most of the time)

[@dinosaurkin5093]

Mainline games take great care in their designs, the spinoffs go crazy 🤪

[@AztecCroc]

@@dinosaurkin5093 Only the Elders really, most of the non-Elder Frontier and Online monsters wouldn't look particularly out of place in a regular game.

[@italoviturino6386]

@@AztecCroc mostly true, online that is indeed true , but in frontier a lot of the wyverns would need some tunedown, get more grounded, and others, specially the not true flying wyrns are pretty much unfixable in this sense.

[@dinosaurkin5093]

@@AztecCroc Magnamalo

[@AztecCroc]

@@dinosaurkin5093 Magnamalo is a mainline monster though.

[@darthplagueis13]

I've always loved Garuga. Not just due to the design but also because it feels like you're up against a monster that actually knows how to fight rather than just flail about or rely on inherited instincts. Like, I know a lot of people feel that old Gen Garuga's moveset has a lot of bs, but think about it: It's a monster that has learned from observation what is going to work best. Insta-charges and nasty combos involving screeching and wind pressure are in fact smart choices against human hunters. A monster like Garuga, that is constantly involved in fights with other creatures probably finds out quite early that telegraphing ones moves is a good way to lose an eye.

[@drpepp.]

Also He was indeed classified as an elder dragon in monster hunter freedom

[@Rodknee_Taco]

Came back to this vid after the "extended kut" and wow did the wilds devs take notes, PACK KUT KU LETS GOOO!!!

[@bobisuncanny2760]

Honestly Yian Garuga has one of the most impressive rework in the entire franchise going from an excruciatingly boring, painful and difficult monster to Iceborne's version with not only better looking design (Iceborne's more realistic touch), but also a fun fight with less forgettable and funkier music. While having new attacks that make it even more unique (which prevents noob from calling it rathian 2.0): A.K.A the rocket attack and the fucking cool fireball machine gun attack from the Scarred one

[@condoslime776]

Garuga is one of my favorite fights in Iceborne. It's a good mix of fast chaotic attacks and silly divebombs and waggling. I was also surprised when I saw them sleeping standing up, I legit thought that they were still awake when I saw it for the first time.

[@namealreadytaken7116]

I do like new yian garuga but 1st and 2nd gen Garuga felt like his own thing in a way. The way he fought for the time and was surprisingly fast and kept up with the hunter. Not to many regular monsters back then had there on themes outside of elders so when yian garuga had one it made him unique. Obviously it’s different now but That’s something I can’t take away from him.

[@memelord8429]

Completely agree, they did an amazing job honestly.

[@mpo48]

you will never fear this bird again, the iceborne version is a pushover.

[@cleo42]

Garuga was one of the best fights in mhfu once the frustration of the first carts goes away

[@dianslabbert504]

The only thing annoying about Yian Garuga to me are the people who keep on saying it's a hybrid between Yian Kut Ku and Rathian.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

True agony

[@manusiabumi7673]

About as annoying as those saying amatsu being the child of ibushi and narwa (because apparently basic biology is hard)

[@JanusHoW]

@@manusiabumi7673 I recently saw a picture of an Ibushi and Narwa pair with - you guessed it - baby Ibushis and Narwas. It was adorable.

[@manusiabumi7673]

@@JanusHoW do you have the link for the picture?

[@martinerhard8447]

It could be a crossbreed. But that depends a bit how genetically compatible rathian and kutku is and that is something we dont know. Garuga was called in the lore to be a kutku breed

[@blackhammer5035]

I really like how Iceborne had Garuga as a dangerous creature without feeling at all like just another elder or worse an "anime hype monster."

[@soltheshinydrifblim7183]

I think that at least a part of the reason for Kut-Ku's wild undirected attacks might be an attempt at intimidation by causing as much chaos as possible to try and scare off the aggressor. Also, I think it is also worth noting the spines on Garuga's back. They don't seem to serve much purpose as an offensive tool, so I think they might serve as a detterrant for larger predators, perhaps like Rathalos or Anjanath, since Garuga isn't particularly large as wyverns go. I'm also very excited for the upcoming Espinas video!

[@RyoIsamuGaming]

Well I think on that Yian Garuga was stated to be a horrific crossbreed of Rathian and Yian-Kut-Ku. Yes, a female Rath is compatible somehow with a bird wyvern. Yes, that's a surprisingly scary yet accurate way to describe why Yian Garuga is just a nasty predator with a bad temperament.

[@soltheshinydrifblim7183]

@@RyoIsamuGaming that’s just a weird community joke, it’s not true at all.

[@RyoIsamuGaming]

@@soltheshinydrifblim7183 Really now? Keep hearing it touted about. And I mean it's not the first time either; there was that whole Deviljho tail incident.

[@julianswinton5355]

@@RyoIsamuGaming The only thing that became true was with fatalis melting hunters to his chest

[@RyoIsamuGaming]

@@julianswinton5355 Aye, though people still debate it - Black Dragons are infamous for having scarse information - which fits with the Canon, but World definitely has given us our first 'official' documentation of Fatalis and Alatreon if the New World holds onto that information much to the dismay of the Purists burning any information on Black Dragons. I mean hell I've read way too far into Alatreon to basically come up with the argument it's a misunderstood but highly dangerous hyperterritorial beastie that rarely comes out of its den to feed on wildlife around the hospitable areas of its domain or further away, never staying for long and eradicating pests that intrude upon its territory. It's probably taking shots in the dark but it all adds up to me enjoying the Avatar more.

[@gaigeriel]

Rewatching this after Kut Ku was confirmed for Wilds and you really hit the nail on the head describing Yian Kut Ku thriving in a well watered rainforest environment. So happy it's back

[@aidenhorne3981]

Love these two and Kut-Ku especially! I think the Fox correlation makes a lot of sense for Kut-Ku and I also thought of an idea relating to their population booms and the food chain. Haven't finished the video but when Yian Kut-Ku populations boom, the populations of creatures that regularly or opportunistically hunt them would as well, especially with all the young strewn about. It entails that the populations of creatures in many different areas of the chain also have a direct correlation with the insect/Kut-Ku population. This obviously isn't a breakthrough theory, but I just think its cool that a change in one area has effects everywhere else in an ecosystem.

[@bluekutku]

Kut-Ku loves you too

[@lewa3910]

11:05 this image of Bazel looking like WTF at the Garuga pecking it is amazing! Props to the artist who concocted this image 🤣🙏💖

[@marcgid1174]

Guruga casually rocking up to hunters being like, “so remember that fatalis you killed, yeah, I’m going to do what he couldn’t because you do be looking like a snack”.

[@dododelmal88malevolotambie50]

I remember getting stuck in the kut ku hunt for two damn weeks

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Just two?

[@bzizman4648]

Dude the drongo mobbing clip cracked me up so hard lmao that looks so goofy and cute without the crazy camera angles Love the video!

[@urbexidiot]

Kut-ku, amongst all Monsters, will always have the most special place in my heart

[@timidchandelure]

Yian Garuga used to be one of my most hated monsters, but it's the epitome of MH gameplay imo because he taught me patience with his fight. Once you understand that taking his fight slow is the way to go, it really improves everything because you start to see all of his tells and openings and can punish him a lot more. I enjoy both his Old and New world iterations, and I truly hope he becomes a series staple. Top tier music, a really good fight, and one of the best roars in the entire franchise.

[@leoncaw326]

I hope you never run out of these topics, whichever source you find them in. I don't play these kinds of games but I love hearing your theories. I think if I did play I'd spend more time watching monster behavior than killing them.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

The series does have a finite amount of monsters alas, but we'll see how we go.

[@cefirodewinter9086]

We still have content for ages though

[@GunlessSnake]

I find it interesting how one of the most aggressive Monsters around is also one of the most intuitive, able to actively observe behaviours and attempt to copy them, taking what works for itself. It makes it quite easy from a gameplay standpoint to justify it taking more moves from other Monsters in the future. As for next time? Espinas is my 4th favourite Monster of all time now, but because most of its background comes from the somewhat non-canon MH Frontier, it makes it difficult to tell exactly what its true ecology is beyond what we saw in MHR:SB.

[@RyoIsamuGaming]

I imagine most of what we've seen is true give or take reasonable deductions - mind you canonical monsters in that same game had 'Apex' or 'Unleashed' variants if I recall the name right, basically way-too-spiky variants that also were OP for some reason. Espinas is one of the rare monsters in that game that is, surprisingly, pretty grounded and fun. Might be a bit before we learn most of what is confirmed and isn't for our cactus boi, but we now have a subspecies as an Endgame fight called the Flaming Espinas, showing us a new timbit of lore for it, so who knows?

[@lorettahale1252]

Ooooo the best bird wyverns

[@blazefang49-isgamer21]

😢 *cries in Malfestio*

[@caldineescogroft8831]

you made a GREAT enemy today you could say that you made the GREATEST enemy in your life, GREATLY dissapointed with your BAGGY stupidity today

[@shadowdragon1396]

Agreed. Garuga is the best bird wyvern. He shows that bird wyverns can absolutely throw hands with the big boys.

[@blankblank6214]

I like to think the in lore reason we don't hunt certain monsters per game is that the guild stopping the hunt every so often for them to grow in population

[@thenerdbeast7375]

Always saw Yian Garuga as akin to a Marabou Stork; sure on paper its adapted like Kut-Ku for similar prey like how Marabous can fish like other storks but is also a ruthless opportunist which can mean things can get gory.

[@Never_at_All]

Love the idea that Yian Kut-Ku is a keystone species in certain habitats, being something that can improve the soil for plants and insects. Neat idea as always!

[@matteogalbusera1149]

Now that Yian kut ku is back with a pack on his side, Yian Garuga either will probably think of them as a banquet or a gang ready to hurt him😂

[@naturalist10000]

One other reason I can think as to why Garuga despise Kut-Ku may be that the latter are potentially NEST PREDATORS to the former. As you said Kut-ku are specialist insectivores that boom in times of abundant rainfall; however, in times of drought and subsequent scarcity of their primary prey, they may resort to seeking out alterative food sources. And when compared to insects, eggs of various other bird wyverns are an excellent alternative as they're basically stationary shells packed full of protein lying down in the leaf litter, and with Garuga being one of the biggest bird wyverns probably means their eggs are subsequently large and thus the most common targets. Garuga don't just attack them out of competition, they see them as legitimate threats to their young.

[@sharplosion1]

Having gone through MH1 and a bit of Dos, can definitely feel the hardship Kut-Ku brought to the table. Granted it often ended up feeling like a hitbox issue of classic MH 'tail spin hits between the legs' so many monsters had. Also Kut-Ku regularly just took a lot of time to even find in the maps early on too. I'm surprised the Konchu throw Kut-Ku gets in G-rank wasn't listed as an example of potential intelligence for Kut-Ku given it was brought up later. It seems far more deliberate than Deviljho's monster carrying, given Kut-Ku pauses to pretty much aim it at the hunter. It's tool usage that makes use of the knowledge of how Konchu's rolled up shape that is also mentioned Kut-Ku learns to manipulate. For Garuga, yeah definitely a chore of a fight. 'Bring earplugs or suffer' really. I think the sideways spines on Garuga's tail also further support the sideways tail slap idea, given they're literally positioned perfectly for such slaps, far more than Rathian's even. And man I was going to comment about an Espinas video given he's been referenced in both Narga's and now this video. Really looking forward to it, even if I'm sure it'll end with some good ol' fashioned Frontier lampooning.

[@Andrew-hz5zc]

I remember fighting Garuga for the first time in Iceborne. Seeing his cutscene against the Deviljho was awesome, and the fight right after was just as good. He was honestly one of my favorite fights in that game. He's super fast and aggressive, but not unfair or annoying. Plus, he's even got a bit of humor in there with his homing beak attack. I love watching him miss that attack and get his beak stuck in the ground. Fast forward a bit, I went backward in the series to GU. I see his quest for the first time, and I'm pretty excited about it. Then I hunt him and... he's kind of fun? I think? His instacharges and frequent roars and wind pressure were a pain. I was questioning whether I was having fun or not midhunt lol. I loved him so much in Iceborne, and so I think that experience was forcing me to enjoy the fight more than I actually wanted to. Then I do this one quest where it's both a Garuga and a Tigrex in the same arena at once. Stupid me thought it would be a good idea to try it solo, and it was the most unfun thing I've done in that game lol. Two monsters who do nothing but charge at you for the whole fight in the same arena. Who designed that quest!? While I questioned it before, that quest cemented my hate for the old Yian Garuga lol. I'm glad Iceborne treated him really nicely though.

[@Verdessa1273]

had garuga's theme stuck in my head for the whole video, time to listen to it for 3 hours on end again, whoopee!

[@aceundead4750]

The psycho chicken is my favorite bird wyvern, no reason other than it will fight just about anything and the nickname of "psycho chicken."

[@morcinus6449]

Funny, had a dream the other night that you uploaded a video on Yian Garuga, though it was mostly just pictures of Rajang in it.

[@Ed_man_talking9]

I never thought I'd miss the goofy wyvern, but here I am, sitting on the edge of my seat hoping the next monster hunter brings back this introduction monster.

[@anthonyf8423]

Yian Kut-Ku has and will always be my favorite wyvern. Very fond memories of hunting them while spending time with my little brother 💜 He called them Bawka Dragons.

[@qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnm6356]

He mentioned making a video on these two in one of his earliest videos on this channel so when I saw this thumb nail I was very exited

[@gergomolnar2193]

a little interesting thing: in Monster Hunter World Iceborne, the Yian Garuga feeds on the carcasses left by other large monsters

[@XmortoxX1990]

I remember having Garuga the first time I fought it, but it grew on me over time, and after Iceborne it's one of my favorite Monsters

[@CrissBluefox]

One of the many things I appreciate about your channel other than your melted butter voice is your intelligent critical opinions of monsters and your clear refusal to give hand jobs to the fan favorite monsters like Zinogre or Valstrax because they are fan favorites. I think that the reason the Yain birbs breath fire is to flush out prey, fire would destroy the leaf litter Konchu hide in and the heat could dry out thier exoskeletons to made them more brittle and easier to crunch through. The smoke could choke out and blind prey so they would not see Garuga coming, it's sharp eyes and ears can guild it through the smoke screen and also starting fires to create smoke could be a deterrent for attackers to allow the weaker Kutku to escape.

[@foryossimodicarbonio9703]

Just gonna throw this idea out there, it would be really cool a video about real life animals that could be used as a basis for new monsters, exploring interesting features of the animal that could be used in both the lore and the fight. Like, I personally would adore a high level bird wyvern inspired by the secretary bird and making it a snake-wyvern specialist. Snake wyverns in general should come back.

[@whensomethingcriesagain]

I always saw Garuga as like a flying, loud, venomous, fire-breathing Sloth Bear. I always figured their aggression came from being startled, and their survival strategy against the likes of Deviljho, Nargacuga, and Rathalos would be similar to how the Sloth Bear defends itself from tigers, by being the biggest pain in the ass it possibly can to make the predator decide it's not worth the potential injuries to keep fighting. This could explain a lot of their aggression against humans as well, initially coming from being startled by an unfamiliar creature that it treats as a threat and so attacks, then for some progressing to man-eating after realizing how easy a target people can be. Kind of blending a couple different types of animal behavior, I'll admit.

[@dinosour2140]

I loved Garuga from the moment I first saw it, which was iceborne. It’s kinda interesting seeing the duo basically in reverse since I started with the best Garuga and went back to them fight kut ku and not so great Garuga. Makes me very excited for a kut-ku return lol

[@sorinsilverheart3200]

Ahh yes The premiere old world punching bag and it's cousin that uses YOU as a punching bag. I love both of these monsters so much.

[@TheRedVoyager]

The thumbnail goes so hard I screenshotted

[@davidperdue150]

Yian Garuga has been my favorite monster ever since I first hunted it in Freedom Unite, so I'd been waiting for this video! I really like your takes both on it and on the Yian Kut-ku. I'm so happy you covered them.

[@draw2death421]

Yian Kut ku seems acxually pretty smart considering he uses konchus against hunter by throwing them at us. Kut ku knows Tool use. Garuga is my faiv bird wyvern. I love the Shoebill look aswell as how they made him clean himself like birds in his iceborne intro. You say Odogaron is like a wolverine of monster hunter but id arque Yian Garuga is more of a one than him considering his main form of attacking is just being agressive, fast and unpredictable. Its also interesting to note how much Yian Garuga has evolved to not be apetizing for other predators. Its hide is though to get throw, its covered in Thorns making it painful to eat, its making ear piercing screeches constantly, its poisonous, it has barely any meat on it and it has a powerful firebreath. I cant really see any creature risking eating a Yian Garuga exept jho but only because they kinda have to eat everything they come by. Also: YOUR COVERING ESPINAS NEXT! YES!

[@bluetextwhitebackground9585]

The ducky monsters! Despite my opinions of Garugas fight I've always thought it's design was cool. And it's cutscene in 4U was just as cool.

[@Emajenus]

WTF!!! This is such a good video that's almost like if these are real creatures. Where do you even get all this info? How do you know so much? So fucking good!

[@m.s.e.advanced2842]

Bird up

[@sadochismo3373]

Garuga is easily my favorite monster in the franchise, and his fight in Iceborne is top tier. I think it's a real special fight when viewed from the angle that it's equally trying to hunt you. I think most monsters are generally too large to really care about eating the hunter outside of opportunity, or too small to really be equally as proficient in combat as the hunter. It views you as an appropriate, and hearty meal, and does everything it can to ensure it's victorious. I think that's why within the world of MH they're generally viewed as evil, because humans are well within what it would class as a nutritious dinner and outside of hunters, a very inexpensive one at that.

[@mr.international2778]

Id like to see a video about akantor and ukanlos! It would be an interesting study to see how evolution turned flying wyverns into elder dragon level threats.

[@maxoyew2965]

Looking forward to this one. I love listening to these as I close to cash office where I work. Your deep analysis on these fantastical creatures is next level. Keep it up!

[@mixtape9318]

love your videos they rekindled my love for biology and ecology, so now I'm studying for a future career down that path.

[@feeshlihzard286]

RETURN OF THE KING !

[@jellohshots1911]

Watching Garuga harass Bazel feels like the purest instance of Justice.

[@prawn1717]

Espinas is up next! Our first (and possibly only?) Frontier monster on this channel!

[@tofuteh2348]

Honestly surprised that kut-ku wasnt brought back in World. 1st and 2nd gen monsters in general just fit in its environments so well

[@draw2death421]

Its probably due to World being a new teritory for them and because they kinda had to remake all fights to fit the new gen (smoother turning, Less Choppy animations, Movement on different ground levels than used before) all models also took a lot of time due to how detailed they are. In world the only returning monsters were Rathalos, Rathian, Diablos, Barroth, Uragaan, Lavasioth, Deviljho, Lunastra, Teostra and Kushala aswell so not many Old world Monsters returned in the first place.

[@tofuteh2348]

@@draw2death421 i think it would've been one of the easier ones to do considering the fact that its moveset is already in plenty of World's monsters just by it having that skeleton. Something like diablos on the other hand has way more things to be worked on, especially things like underground digging and its own sand trap

[@Verminator4]

Looks like we might get to see Kut-Ku’s nesting behaviour in Wilds

[@chancegivens9390]

Yian Garuga is one of my top favorite monsters! I love that he's not just all talk, he can open up a can of whoop ass! Even against larger foes!

[@bluemew6457]

I just had a thought. You mentioned that Garuga can learn from other monsters from observation. Is it possible that Garugas learned the backflip from rathian, and the technique was passed down from generation to generation afterward?

[@RyoIsamuGaming]

Would make sense; it is presumed to be a horrific crossbreed of Rath and Bird so that tail flip comes in use. Combine that with the intuition of its Kut-Ku parent and its no wonder this thing could scare off a Deviljho - the things a nightmare.

[@bluemew6457]

@@RyoIsamuGaming As far as I know, the thought that Garuga is a crossbreed is simply a myth that arose due to lack of research and the shared traits. However, your second statement is definitely accurate, Garuga is nightmare fuel for sure.

[@RyoIsamuGaming]

@@bluemew6457 aye, point remains that it's a dreadful creature.

[@tech-priesttoast2686]

@@bluemew6457 its a meme the community come up with actual and has no basis in any of the games or lore…. people just mistook it for canon at some point

[@RyoIsamuGaming]

@@tech-priesttoast2686 Fair, though definitely isn't the first time it's occurred; Looking at you, Deviljho...

[@VincenzoStudios]

Yian Garuga has always been a favorite of mine, he's a giant amalgamation of all the jerks of the bird world rolled up into one Screaming, Malding Corvid Wyvern. I'm super glad he got a well-needed update in Iceborne, because the Old Gen Garuga fight is..... nooooot greeeeeeat. I forget where I saw this, but I recall someone suggesting that Garuga is a Brood Parasite, and that it specifically does it with Kut Ku. Which would add to the idea that Garuga, despite having a dislike for Kut Ku, require them for survival. I assume in their stead, Garuga would preform Parasitism on lesser intelligent kinds of Wingdrakes in the New World.

[@aaa1e2r3]

Touching on the idea about Kut-ku preferring softer wetter soil, I would love to see a variant of Kut-ku with a strengthened beak and jaw strength that let's it work through drier and harder soil and possibly rocks/boulders, like say Rockbiter Yian Kut-ku.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Could even make a new bird wyvern out of it, like a hornbill or woodpecker based on.

[@julianswinton5355]

@@unnaturalhistorychannel I would love to see a secretary bird alike bird wyvern

[@lexrupus4798]

I didn't expect you would cover a Frontier monster so soon. Can't wait to see how you're going to rationalize and critique Frontier's poster boy. Great video btw. Always been a big fan of both Yians.

[@CakedUpDumptruck]

He has RISEN, BABYGIRL!!!

[@DarkraiDrive]

I love these two, 4U was my first monster hunter game and I remember being terrified when Garuga pulled up the first time. Pretty sure it one shot me immediately helping further cement it as a cool monster. Kut ku was always just like the goofy counter part of rathian and rathalos to me though. Still a hilarious monster who’s a surprisingly fun fight

[@TheBelieveit1]

Birds prefer moving on foot. Even among the more aerial species, you will still see birds opting to walk or hop to their destination if it is near enough. Flight is reserved more for longer distance travel or fleeing. Flight is very costly in terms of energy so it's little wonder there are plenty of birds in our own world that can technically fly but prefer to be in the ground as even the more areal versions will walk more than fly if given the chance

[@RowanFox77]

I’ve never played monster Hunter, but I still watch almost all of your Monster Hunter videos. Keep up the good work! If you need any ideas for a non MH video, I suggest the original Carnivores games.

[@limebeersalt]

Came back here after Kut-Ku's return in Wilds

[@NathanCassidy721]

Been binging your videos since I stumbled across the King Kong fauna video. I low-key love this kind of stuff.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Thank you, and hope it's been a good ride!

[@NathanCassidy721]

@@unnaturalhistorychannel I mean you've reactivated my inner "dinosaur dork" and got me to a channel that is litterally a fan-made remake of "Walking with Dinosaurs" via the algorithm, so I'd say it's been a good ride.

[@dapperraptor8789]

Love these two, prefer garuga but I have some memories with kut ku with him and congalala being my first walls. I just think that garuga is better because he made deviljho fans mald after he stomped jho in their cutscene. Great video!

[@solotheprowler335]

Wilds yain kut ku is back Who is here for it

[@Krunchamunch220]

Not gonna lie I passed over this video twice before I realized it wasn't an ad using stolen assets.

[@purplehaze2358]

Something about the narration in this particular video makes me wonder if UHC was feeling under the weather this time around. I don't know, just felt quieter, slower, and all around.. off in a way I can't quite articulate.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Voice definitely came out a lot fuzzier than usual! Has hopefully been rectified with a new mic though

[@scorpiopede]

Fantastic video, this duo were a pair that I didn't like in older games, but over the generations my thoughts on them has improved over time, especially for Garuga. With that said I really hope Kut-ku gets a proper model update when it inevitably returns, aside from the awful wing morphology that Garuga had fixed in iceborne, one problem I always had with it was its bobble head with laughably tiny body and limb proportions, it just never seemed capable of holding that massive beak up with its thin neck and tiny tail that didn't even look like a proper counterbalance. If those issues get addressed and its ecology is given a greater focus I can see myself properly loving this monster when it returns.

[@royalhybrid4524]

I'd like to think that in universe there is a song or folklore of Yain Garuga called the: One eyed, One eared, Flying purple people eater

[@justaguyandadog2984]

10:14 soooooo garuga acts to large monsters like a chihuahua to a large dog

[@TheOdinsLance]

I always found garuga pretty funny. kut ku is such a goof ball and then garuga bursts from the bushes looking like a goth kut ku. It gave me so much whip lash I couldn't help but laugh.

[@BesugoTheFirst]

I could have sworn you’ve done Espinas already, but maybe that was someone else. Regardless, I’m looking forward to hearing you cover one of my favorite monsters!

[@GhazMazMSM]

I'd love to see a video done on the other creatures in primeval. Like the Tree Creeper or the Camo Beast.

[@RedRaptor98]

I look forward to the day you cover Glavenus! He's by far my favorite monster

[@warpdkirby]

I remember the GU deviant of Garuga being a scary fight. Also unique in being smaller than the normal breed.

[@JanusHoW]

Maybe Yian Garuga shrink when they reach a certain age, like we humans tend to do? Many Deviants seem to simply be older, stronger and sometimes wiser individuals. Soulseer Mizutsune, for example, has gray on many parts of its fur, and even starts many hunts asleep, but has refined its bubble-sense to such a high level that it can perceive its environment BETTER than its sighted counterparts.

[@Apotheosister]

​@@JanusHoW I think Deviant lore is pretty much just a varied grab bag of concepts. Redhelm found super rich honey which made it grow stonger, Stonefist is old and wise, Deadeye was born smaller, which gave it a condensed poison, Bloodbath was created from a failed hunt. The only universal concept is that they're all extremely rare, once in a lifetime hunts, story wise at least.

[@alexanderilthari9328]

I quite like these two,, though I never considered either particularly memorable. They're sort of the monster equivalent of vanilla ice cream for me. By the way, would love to see your views on Shara Ishvalda and Tzitzi Ya-Ku. Shara because I have no idea how you'd try and interpret how freaking weird that thing is, especially with the "Eyes staring into the player's soul by looking at the camera" thing, and Tzitzi because he's my favorite monster and I think there's room to explore the evolutionary reasoning behind bioluminesence (also, will give you more reason to lambast the overly glowy anime monsters which is perpetually entertaining).

[@Edujs23]

I remember going out of my way to get a water hunting horn with earplugs song only for garuga fights

[@DavidGomez-ls6ee]

To be honest Yian Guruga has always been a thorn in my side. While I haven't fought his Iceborne version I can say his Gen version is a pain. Kut-Ku on the other hand I've grown to like, love even. Up there with Tetranadon, Kulu and so on, he's one of my favorite goofy monsters. Plus is in my top 5 fav bird wyverns.

[@jacobcoleman8250]

Nightshade Paolumu is also an insectivore, using the same inhalation method as its coral cousins to suck in large amounts of ants.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

But that puts him in the same boat as Barroth in that he's a myrmecophage

[@xexyziii2782]

The hive harassing behaviour might have some extra credence considering that you can occasionally find Kut-ku scales around beehives when gathering at the jungle in GU and the everwood in 4U (those are the only places I'm aware of). It might also be why you can find larvae on the floor as well. As for Garuga, do you think the slightly longer and sharper beak to scrape remains off prey? And what do you suppose the spikes on it are for...

[@victory8928]

Spikes are probably for defence. Garuga punches up above its weight class with its diet more than yian and its larger size leaves it more vulnerable to predation attempts especially when younger leading to the development of spikes to ward off attacks

[@The_PokeSaurus]

Yian Kut Ku's ears make me wish we had a Fox wyvern. We have a fox leviathan, but you know.

[@dragonslayer3552]

Garuga went from "oh my god not him again" in the old games to "HOLY F THIS IS MY FAVOURITE MONSTER" in iceborne He was a pleasant surprise when I first saw him literally out of nowhere while I was just leveling the forest region It is a fight done right while keeping it relatively realistic which is how I want my monster hunter unlike rajang that pretty much knocks all realism out of the window with his laser beams ,electric balls and ugh stupid strength for the sake of fun fight And his scared tempered version even added some moves and made him faster and more aggressive making him the best tempered fight in the game even though the fire volley looks a little stupid I am 90% sure kut will return in the next mh game "that idk why everyone calls it 6 we all know it won't be Mh6" It feels like it's been too long without him and whenever I feel that for a monster it always returns next game

[@oaktree149]

Garuga is Honestly One of the Most Underrated Monsters in the Series, and is My Personal Favorite. I Love it When a Monster has a Personality. Also I Think You’re Underestimating it a Bit. I don’t See Mobbing Working on Something as Single-Minded as a Deviljho, and it Genuinely Looked Like that Deviljho was Heavily Stunned by that Tailflip. Considering this is the Same Monster that can Halt a Charging Diablos Easily, that Tailflip had to Have had a Tremendous Amount of Force Behind it. Granted You Might Not Take the Jho Turf Wars Seriously, and Ngl I can’t Blame You lol.

[@mrdeafter]

I remember when you require at least green sharpness to actually hurt him in MH1 and MH2, actually almost all monster in gen 1 and 2 require green to not bounce (can't even attack ioprey with yellow lol)

[@JoseJose-sh7fr]

Always great to see this in my feed

[@BeastVIDraco-v7o]

Welcome back to Monster Hunter Wilds my OG fiery chicken! Now we just need the 'wolf' to comeback

[@takenname8053]

Super NICE, definitely my two favorite silly birds in Monster Hunter

[@queenduckie458]

I don't blame you for missing this since it's such a obscure fact, but Nightshade Paolumu will also eat from the ant nests in the Wildspire (they even do a unique animation where they suck them up, look it up it's really cool!) and basically noone talks about it. Either way, I love the video, thanks for all your hard work

[@IsaacJuett]

Personally I would also like to add to the vespoid hive segment by saying that especially bold Yian kut ku might harvest fulgur bugs by knocking over the zinogre and then amongst the chaos feast on the the fleeing fulgur bugs.