Tamaa

Tamaa (or Thalatte) is an adult male drongo who resides in the Pride Lands.
He appears in the episode The Call of the Drongo and later returned in the episode Divide and Conquer.
==Appearance==
When Tamaa was a baby bird, the feathers that stick out behind his head were larger compared to his body size. His crest was also smaller in this way, and it was composed of only three rounded feathers rather than four pointed ones.
Tamaa as an adult is a small, dark blue bird with slightly lighter blue feathers leading down the middle of his wings. This lighter blue is also present on most of the body, blending in with the darker feathers. He has a pale blue beak and feet. His eyes are olive green. Five dark curving lines are present on the back of his head, likely the outlines of feathers. He has a crest at the top of his forehead which fades into a lighter blue, and a few feathers that stick out behind his head. He has a large tail which becomes thin towards the center, with two large feathers sticking out at either end.
==Personality==
Tamaa was originally described as "deceptive", and showed no true remorse when stealing food from other Pride Landers, including those smaller than himself. Somewhat lazy, Tamaa struggled with gathering food, which leads him to become sneaky and dishonest. He is proud of his ability to mimic other animals, and this shows when he explains his talent to the Lion Guard. 
Although Tamaa is sometimes quick to give up on his resolutions, he is fully capable of learning from his mistakes, and utilizing his skills in other ways. Tamaa is not one for getting involved in troublesome situations, but his conscience does lead him to offer his assistance in any way that he can, showing a great deal of bravery.
More recently, Tamaa has fully reformed, and uses his mimicry to put on a show for the Pride Landers, who willingly give him food as a reward. Still wary of dangerous situations, Tamaa will offer help when needed despite his own fears and concerns, and shows a lot of quick thinking in his actions.
==History==
From the day he was hatched, Tamaa discovered that he had a talent for mimicking other animals around him. However, he found it difficult to locate an adequate supply of food for himself and thus turned his hobby into a trick, using his voice to fool other animals into believing that he was a predator lurking nearby before stealing their food away from them.
===The Call of the Drongo===
 Tamaa is first heard, though not shown, threatening a jerboa. He lies to her, claiming that he is Makuu the crocodile and is going to eat her. He is next heard speaking to a hare and giving her a similar message, although this time pretending to be Goigoi the jackal. His voice is heard for a third time, sounding quite like Janja the hyena's, and repeating the same words to Muhangus. But while talking in Janja's voice again, he is overheard by the Lion Guard. They discover him concealed in a bush, and he introduces himself. Kion assures him that the Guard wouldn't let Janja hurt him, and Tamaa asks why he would. Realizing that he had almost given himself away, Tamaa informs the Guard that Janja and the hyenas were nearby, but had since left. He hesitates, then points them in the direction that the hyenas apparently went.
 However, the Guard returns while Tamaa is mimicking Janja's voice once more in order to frighten Pim the hyrax. He confesses that he does mimic other animals after Kion pins him by the tail. He winks at Ono and adds that it is his little talent. Kion answers that he has been using to scare others, and Fuli demands that he admits it. Tamaa responds mimicking Janja, saying that he would never. Seeing the displeasure of the Guard, he amends his reply using his regular voice. He admits that he did mimic voices, and asks if there is any harm in that. The Guard retorts that he was doing it in order to steal food, and he insists that it is nothing but a show. Ono angrily asks who he thinks he is, and Tamaa sings the song Bird of a Thousand Voices to explain. Bunga requests that Tamaa imitates him. Tamaa agrees, but Kion interrupts before he can begin. Kion kindly speaks to Tamaa, explaining why he should not use his talent the way he does, and Tamaa sympathizes with the animals he has stolen from promises not to use any voice but his own. He later appears trying without success to convince a striped grass mouse to share her grubs. He is indignant when she denies, and notes that she would not have said that to Janja. Tamaa is overheard by the hyenas soon after, mimicking Janja and threatening to eat the mouse. The real Janja discovers him in a bush and startles him, causing him to scream and take flight. But before he can escape, Cheezi's teeth close around his tail and stop him. He asks the hyenas not to eat him, first in Janja's voice as he is pulled down and then in his own as he is hung by the tail from Cheezi's mouth. Janja announces that they might not eat him if he helps them, and Tamaa asks how.Still imprisoned by Cheezi, Tamaa listens while Janja orders him to say what Janja told him to say, but in Kion's voice. Tamaa replies that he might not be able to, never having done Kion's voice before. But Janja threatens to eat him if he cannot, and Tamaa remarks that perhaps he can mimic Kion. He then tells the impala herd to go to the Outlands, since Janja and his hyenas are in the Pride Lands. The impalas flee into the Outlands, and Tamaa brags about his performance and requests that he is released. He is surprised when Janja denies him, and irritably asks Cheezi to stop breathing on his "sensitive feathers". Deeper in the Outlands, Tamaa attempts to persuade Cheezi and Chungu to free him. He says to them that once Janja has him as a partner, he will no longer need them, but the hyenas aren't fooled until Tamaa imitates Janja, commanding them to let him go. Tamaa starts to fly away, but then remembers the impalas. He turns around and goes back to the canyon with the impalas. He mimics the voices of the Lion Guard members, notifying the hyenas that they are surrounded. Janja realizes it is Tamaa, and declares that he knows the Lion Guard is not actually nearby. However, the real Lion Guard arrives and orders the hyenas away. In Kion's voice, Tamaa tells them not to come back. He then apologizes, remarking that he was on a roll.
 In the Pride Lands, Kion compliments Tamaa on his brave actions in the Outlands, with Ono adding how he helped save the impalas. Though Fuli gives a minor bit of criticism for how he portrayed her roar for future reference, Tamaa appreciates the tip, and expresses that it felt great to use his talent for good. He promises, sincerely this time, not to imitate others unless it is for good, which the Lion Guard are pleased to hear. Bunga asks to be imitated one more time, and Tamaa obliges. He shouts Bunga's catchphrase before flying away, to which Bunga remarks that he really does have a great voice.
===Divide and Conquer===
 Tamaa is seen in the Pride Lands, presenting a show in which he impersonates Thurston and Twiga. When the Lion Guard interrupt, he quickly explains to them how the animals give him food for making them laugh, reminding them that his life of crime is over. Kion informs him that they're not checking up on him and that they need his help. Tamaa announces that the show is finished to focus on the Lion Guard, where Kion explains that it's for a serious situation. Although Tamaa is a little cautious since he usually dabbles strictly in comedy, he is willing to give it a go.
 He leaves with the Lion Guard, who explains that they need him to impersonate them, even though they won't actually be there at all. When Tamaa expresses worry, Beshte assures him that they'll keep him safe, and Fuli also states that neither jackals or hyenas are that smart anyway. Soon, Ono discovers the jackals chasing some gazelles. Not wishing to take any chances, Kion orders Ono to keep an eye out for the absent hyenas, while the rest of the Guard and Tamaa take on the jackals. Shortly after Ono leaves, he locates the hyenas stalking Rafiki. He reports back to the Guard, and Kion calls for Tamaa to distract the jackals until they get back. When Reirei's pack cross a dense opening, Tamaa starts to impersonate each member of the Lion Guard just outside, flying across the area in order to give a false impression that they are surrounding the jackals, readying an attack. Although Reirei takes comfort in the fact that none of the Lion Guard members are with Janja's clan, Goigoi reminds her how bad it is for them.
 Tamaa continues to frighten the jackals into submission but, when he proceeds to imitate Kion's Roar, the jackals are shocked to find themselves still standing. During this time, Reirei notices Tamaa's tail feathers just outside the clearing and pins him down. It doesn't take long for Reirei to realize that Kion has tricked them, and the pack leaves to assist Janja's clan. Tamaa leaves to warn the Lion Guard.
 Tamaa locates Kion and warns him of the jackals. He apologizes for ruining the plan, but the cub assures him that he did well, ordering him to keep away from the battle. But when the Guard regroup for one more fight against both jackals and hyenas, Tamaa returns, supporting the Lion Guard and Rafiki. Tamaa assists Kion by feigning Beshte's voice to Janja as a distraction, allowing Kion to pin Janja down. Defeated, the jackals and hyenas retreat, and Tamaa, proud to have won his first and only battle, decides to stick to comedy and leaves by saying “panic and fly”.
==Songs==
*Bird of a Thousand Voices
==Trivia==
*At the end of his song, Tamaa's line of 'Thank you very much' is a reference to Elvis Presley.
*Judging by his crest and tail-streamers Tamaa appears to be a greater racket-tailed drongo, but that species only lives in Asia.
*His song Bird of a Thousand Voices is most likely a reference to the late voice actor, Mel Blanc as he was nicknamed "The Man of a Thousand Voices".
*Tamaa has returned for Season 2.
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Category:Birds
Category:Characters
Category:Male Characters
Category:Pride Landers
Category:Reformed Characters
Category:Adults
Category:Perching Birds