Porgs constituted a species of sea-faring, non-speaking, beakless birds that lacked sentience. These creatures were native to Ahch-To, the planet where Luke Skywalker, a Jedi Master, chose to live in exile during the years leading up to the Battle of Crait.
Birds known as porgs were a non-sentient species. They possessed a stout build, characterized by short wings, flat faces without beaks, and webbed feet. Their terrestrial mobility was notable, as they could run swiftly and navigate tight spaces with ease.
Porgs exhibited sexual dimorphism; males were somewhat larger than females, and they also displayed orange plumage surrounding their eyes. Their eyes featured brown irises and black pupils, providing stereoscopic vision. These telescopic eyes were advantageous for catching fish. Both sexes were covered in thick feathers, displaying white coloration on the body and face, with gray to brown hues on the wings and back. This coloration provided effective natural camouflage. Despite their appearance, they were lightweight due to a waterproof outer layer of feathers and a fluffy underlayer for warmth, making them well-suited for colder environments.
Interestingly, porgs seemed to grasp certain linguistic elements. Upon hearing Rey refer to Chewbacca as "Chewie," they misinterpreted it as chewy, leading them to contemplate whether Chewbacca might be her food.
These highly inquisitive, cliff-dwelling creatures populated the islands of Ahch-To, a planet. Their offspring, referred to as "porglets," were typically born in pairs. Porgs displayed roosting behavior and constructed nests along the island cliffs. They gathered soft materials for nest construction and showed an attraction to shiny objects. Nests were crafted from materials such as hair, fiber, or grass, and adorned with acquired shiny items. Both parents participated in nest care. Porgs were capable of controlled dives into the sea to catch fish for consumption or to provide for their dependent offspring. They also hunted crustaceans.
Porgs had a fondness for water, using it both for drinking and recreation, and they also enjoyed exploring new tastes. Both wild and domesticated porgs displayed an unusual fascination with human-made objects and shiny things. If unchecked, their curiosity could result in chaos. Their vocalizations ranged from burbles and squeaks to melodious songs. They produced a unique song when content. Despite their inquisitive nature, they could remain completely silent when necessary and exhibit shyness when threatened. Porgs enjoyed being petted and scratched, particularly behind their ears. A group of porgs was collectively known as a "murder."
Porgs originated from seabirds on Ahch-To. Some species considered them quite palatable, leading to instances of hunting by the resident Lanai and visitors to Ahch-To. During the First Order-Resistance War, when Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Master, discarded his lightsaber off a cliff, two porgs investigated the weapon. These birds nearly activated the lightsaber before Rey scared them away. Soon after, another porg curiously observed the Jedi Master fishing from a cliff. Rey discovered that the porgs could aid her Jedi training after she used the Force to catch one in mid-air to retrieve the lightsaber it had taken. Noticing the flock's fascination with her power, Rey promised them each "a turn." During his stay on Ahch-To, Chewbacca, the Wookiee, roasted two porgs for dinner. A few of the birds stared at him before he could eat, but Chewbacca scared them off. Upon landing on Ahch-To, Chewbacca considered porgs a tasty snack but found it difficult to harm them when they looked at him with their sad eyes.
A pair of porgs, unable to find blue moss for their young, stole wiring of the same color from the Millennium Falcon, hindering repairs being done by Chewbacca and R2-D2. Chewbacca followed the porgs to their nest and attempted to trade the wiring for a blanket, but they refused. Realizing the porgs' predicament, R2 convinced Chewbacca to brave strong winds to gather moss from a high tree. Grateful for his help, the parents returned the wiring, marking Chewbacca's first positive interaction with porgs.
Later, at least four porgs boarded the Millennium Falcon and built a nest. One of them accompanied Chewbacca during the Battle of Crait. Despite initial animosity, Chewbacca grew fond of the porgs and befriended them. These stowaways eventually spread their species beyond their home planet.
Upon boarding the Millennium Falcon, General Leia Organa noticed the creatures roosting and questioned Chewbacca about the ship's transformation into a birdcage.
Among the porgs residing on the Millennium Falcon were the Porg Stowaway, Puffy, and Snappy.
In 34 ABY, porgs were imported to Batuu and sold as pets at the Creature Stall in Black Spire Outpost. According to Eloc Throno, an author and explorer, porgs arrived on Batuu via a light freighter at the spacesport. Oga's Cantina served a deep orange fruity beverage from Ahch-To called a Cliff Dweller in mugs shaped like porgs.
In 35 ABY, a pair of porgs watched as Rey attempted to destroy Kylo Ren's TIE whisper and her lightsaber on Ahch-To.
Porgs were created for the 2017 film Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi. Writer/director Rian Johnson conceived them to digitally conceal the numerous real puffins present on Skellig Michael, the filming location for Ahch-To. According to creature concept designer Jake Lunt Davies, Johnson sought a way to integrate [the puffins], as removing them was impractical. He decided to embrace their presence and create an indigenous species. Porgs were first revealed in behind-the-scenes footage from The Last Jedi at the D23 Expo in July 2017. They were officially named in a StarWars.com interview with Pablo Hidalgo, a creative executive at Lucasfilm Story Group. Hidalgo, along with Leland Chee, another Story Group member, reasoned that the birds seen flying on Ahch-To at the end of Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens were also porgs, retroactively establishing their first appearance in that film.
During the concept phase of The Last Jedi, creature designer Jake Lunt Davies explored various influences, drawing inspiration from birds, bats, flying squirrels, and aquatic animals like seals, otters, and beavers. Johnson approved a design based on a seal and a pug, resembling aquatic, flightless penguins. Porgs were created using puppets and CGI. Approximately fifteen porgs were built, each for a specific scene, including painted models, animatronic pieces, and a "hero" model. The creatures' squawks were created by manipulating recordings of doves, chickens, and turkeys, altering their pitch to produce unique sounds. Additionally, Ren Klyce from Skywalker Sound sampled turkey call imitations by an intern named Nick Doctor to further develop the porgs' sound. When ILM created the CG porgs, they ensured the movements matched those of the on-set puppeteers. Concept art for the film revealed that the scene where porgs investigated Skywalker's lightsaber initially considered having one activate the weapon while another looked down the shaft, resulting in its death.
At Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, a theme park attraction, porg items are sold at the out-of-universe Creature Stall. Souvenir porg mugs are included with the purchase of a Cliff Dweller at Oga's Cantina.