A large bird nicknamed the "Hurley Bird" has made two appearances in Lost. According to the producers' May 4th, 2007 podcast it has a 16-foot wingspan and cannot be found living in Los Angeles.
While in the Dark Territory, Hurley saw a huge bird, convincing him that whoever came up with the name Dark Territory was "a genius". ("Exodus, Part 2")
Then, during the same episode, the bird is heard moments before the smoke monster appears and it is heard saying "Hurley" while the smoke monster is chasing Locke. ("Exodus, Part 2")
Later, traversing through the jungle, Michael, Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley had a seemingly giant green bird swoop down over their heads that screeches what sounds like "Hurley." Hurley asked if the bird screeched his name and Sawyer replied, "Yeah, it did. Right before it crapped gold." Michael attempted to shoot at the bird, revealing that the gun Jack had given him was unloaded. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")
While it is not yet confirmed whether the bird really did say Hurley's name, this mystery is confirmed to be answered on the Lost Complete Collection DVD and Blu-ray box set. It will be answered in the show's short epilogue, "The New Man in Charge".
According to the DVD subtitles, the bird's screeches say "Hurley" in both appearances.
It can be seen in these videos in YouTube:
- First appearance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgjreYvrAWM
- Second appearance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcHaa6PbKsw
Altjira, the Australian Aboriginal god of dreamtime
Trivia
- In Australian Aboriginal mythology, Altjira is the sky god of the Arrernte. He was the central god of the Dream time (called Alchera by the Aranda) who created the Earth, then retired to the sky. It is depicted as a large green bird with emu's feet, much like the one seen in "Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1".
- Take away the L and T from Altjira, and you get Ajira.
- After Jin told Hurley a story in Korean while they were camping, Hurley said, "Dude, I love the part about the bird. It was a bird right?" ("Catch-22")
- On the March 21, 2008 podcast, Damon Lindelof did not want to comment on the significance of the Hurley bird.
- One form of the Egyptian god Horus is a green falcon. This fits with the Egyptian themes of the show.
- The Hurley bird's only appearances are in season finales: "Exodus, Part 2" and "Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1".
- After Sawyer escaped from his polar bear cage on Hydra Island, he ran past a number of aviary-type cages. ("A Tale of Two Cities")
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