Also, when he mentions Mufasa in Scar's presence, he was suppose to stroke Scar's ego, though he is interrupted by Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, much to Scar's annoyance. When Simba was going to ascend to the throne, Zazu was going to say 'Your Majesty', though it was cut out as they wanted a quiet scene (though the line was included in the musical and live-action-film). In an early drafts, Zazu rather than being sat on a rhinoceros, Simba and Nala ditch him at the watering hole. In early concept art, Zazu is shown as a kingfisher rather than a hornbill, though the colors are shown to be similar (in other concepts while as a hornbill, Zazu is shown with black wings with red tips). Zazu's supervising animator was Ellen Woodbury and often moved around to catch the flow of Zazu's movements. When Zazu was young, Zuzu trained him to take her place when Mufasa's rule began, which she would as the reign of Mufasa begins, Zazu becoming the majordomo of the king. In How True, Zazu?, Zazu's mother, Zuzu, was a steward to Kopa's (the child of Simba and Nala in the non-canonical novel) great-grandfather Ahadi. Mufasa realizes that the little hornbill is useful after all and appoints him as the royal advisor. Zazu finds a tree trunk that Mufasa drags over to the pit, allowing Sarabi to climb out. But Mufasa can't find a way to rescue Sarabi.

Zazu flies back to tell Mufasa who leaps up and runs to the gorge. Zazu flies over to where the vultures are anyway and sees that Sarabi has fallen into a pit and can't get out. He asks Mufasa if he wants him to fly over and see what's happening, but Mufasa is not concerned and lies down for a nap. One day, Zazu notices some vultures hovering. Mufasa quickly gets tired of this as Zazu disturbs his hunts and his private time with his betrothed Sarabi. Zazu follows Mufasa around and watches over him. Zazu is thankful and hopes that he can be of service to the future Lion King someday. In the book Friends in Need, Young Zazu is about to be cooked and eaten by the three young hyenas (which explains his cry of 'Oh, no! Not the birdie boiler!' in the first movie) Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed, when an adolescent Mufasa comes along, frightens off the hyenas and saves him.

Zazu has two conflicting histories as to how he became the King's majordomo (though they are both found in novels) that aren't known to be completely canon.

Zazu lion king 2019