Hal

Hal the Boomerang Bird is a character in the Angry Birds series of games created by Rovio Entertainment. He was introduced in 2010 and was the first new character added to the Angry Birds series who was not one of the original five birds in the flock. After his first appearance in Danger Above, Hal becomes a recurring character for multiple installments of the series.

Hal makes his first appearance in the original Angry Birds game, where, unlike most new birds, Hal is first introduced as a captive by the pigs in Theme 6-4. After you beat the level, the game will notify that you have unlocked Hal, and he is then playable in the next level. (Theme 6-5)

After his debut in Danger Above, Hal will appear in all the themes afterward as a playable character. However, he has an extremely notable appearance in The Big Setup, where he and Terence are featured as the only playable characters. (being that the flock had been held captive during the events of the theme)

Gameplay Hal's ability in this game is to be able to go in the opposite direction when activated. He is also able to fly much farther than other birds and is the only bird that rotates when flying in the original game. He is quite decent at destroying wood and glass blocks and will do so extremely well if the blocks are somewhat damaged. However, he will not affect stone in most situations, usually making minimal damage or, in some circumstances no damage at all.

A strategy that many players use (and can also be used to activate certain golden eggs) is to fling Hal the other way and then activate his ability, causing him to swing back with speed and more strength.

Hal's ability will be affected depending on the angle that he is in. For example, if he is beginning to gravitate back to the ground, his ability will weaken more and more.

Personality
Hal's Description in Angry Birds Birdsonality (modified):

"Understanding and sociable, Hal makes his voice heard but is also a great listener. His social nature and great conversational skills earn him a lot of friends. On the flip side, his people-pleasing personality means that he takes criticism especially hard."

Hal is likely the least consistent in personality out of any of the characters. At times, he is shown to be an elderly, knowledgeable, and respected bird who is peaceful and friendly, and at other times he is shown to be a very goofy, silly bird.

In multiple instances, like the Angry Birds Comic Series, Hal is shown as a very mature character. He is shown to have a deep love for the pleasures in life, as when he is found he is usually with his banjo or camping. He is a rather adventurous bird, and in Angry Birds Go, he wears an adventurer's hat (which was included in promo art and the game toys and telepods) He finds no desire to be filled with anger and usually doesn't take place in any of the bird's fights with the pigs.

However, in situations like the Summer Pignic short, or the Angry Birds Movie, Hal is shown to be an extremely clumsy and goofy character. He is clearly much younger, and in place of a raspy, creaky voice he is given a squeaky, nasally one. Unlike his other, much different personality, this version of him has an extreme desire to become angry and fight the pigs. (along with being an actual, "angry" bird)

Trivia

 * Hal, Bubbles and the Ice Bird are the only birds who first appeared kidnapped by the pigs, although Bubbles was unintentionally kidnapped.
 * Hal will make Chuck's pain noises when being a corpse, thus making it the only bird without an original pain noise.
 * Hal and Blu and Jewel are also the only birds to rotate when fired from the slingshot.
 * Hal has a different launch voice on Angry Birds Seasons as of the Ham'o'ween update. However, the PC and Mac version of Angry Birds Classic also has the alternative voice of the bird. The phone version of the original Angry Birds has the original select and launch voice (actually one of the birds grumbling when waiting).
 * Hal and the Ice Bird are the only birds that are shown in the level before they are first played in as an unplayable item.
 * On Chrome level 6-4 his corpse sprite disappears and is invisible, but when you unlock him, his corpse sprite will be the Angry Birds Rio sprite and he keeps the Yellow Bird pain noises but the feathers change from yellow ones to white ones.
 * Hal's eyebrows will disappear when he blinks. (however, this will only happen with his old design)
 * In Piglantis, Hal's ability doesn't work when he is underwater. The corpse will appear when the ability is activated.
 * In the Angry Birds Heikki promotional art on Angry Birds Facebook page, Hal looks exactly like it's designed in Angry Birds (previously) and Angry Birds Seasons, except the yellow ring on his beak, is removed.
 * Hal is the only bird to be rescued twice.
 * Hal is the first bird to be known to play an instrument.
 * In Angry Birds Friends, when Hal's boomerang ability is activated, he boomerangs back at a lower angle than in the main games.
 * Hal is the only bird that never appeared in Angry Birds Toons. His design for Toons would depict him with a more pointed beak, a black "mask" over his face, and yellow rings around his eyes.
 * Hal, along with Matilda and Stella, are the only three birds without a Space counterpart, and he and Bubbles are the only two birds without a Star Wars counterpart.