Seagull

Seagulls are the most common inhabitants of sea-faring locations common in and Phantom Hourglass, and fly in flocks wherever they are found. These birds do not pose any threat to Link and are not significantly important to any aspect of the plot, but instead seem incorporated to embellish that sea-faring feel and image of The Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass.

Controlling a Seagull
Link can control seagulls in The Wind Waker using a Hyoi Pear, and subsequently can "fly" in first-person, as the seagull itself. In order to obtain the Heart Piece on Bird's Peak Rock, this technique must be used to activate several switches located upon the spire peaks of the island, all of which are located at points only the seagull, and enemy Kargaroks, can reach. Link can only control one seagull at a time, and once Link either flies into a wall or physically stops controlling the gull, he must use another Hyoi Pear if he is to attract another seagull and go again. For the most part, this operates not as a significant plot device, but as an interesting detour to the game's main plot, in the same vein that most of the non-important islands and sidequests serve throughout the main game.

Flock Patterns
Seagulls tend to flock around or above areas of significance, seen usually when sailing upon the Great Sea. At the Forsaken Fortress, several seagulls circle around the window of the room in which Aryll is being held captive. A small flock of gulls often fly alongside the King of Red Lions, Link's boat, if Link has been sailing for an extended period of time. Seagulls are also known to flock sporadically near Big Octo locations; however, it is unknown whether or not the number of seagulls that fly above such areas is related to the amount of eyes a certain Big Octo has.

Trivia

 * Link's telescope from Aryll is decorated with seagulls on one side.
 * In Phantom Hourglass, Link can shoot the seagulls with the cannon on his ship.
 * If Link's Awakening DX on the Gameboy Color is completed without dying once, Marin will be transformed into a seagull.