Kig-Yar

d in defensive positions, fighting from behind their distinctive energy shields. A well used shield makes a Jackal a difficult target, but the notch they use to return fire provides a weak spot that can be exploited, specifically by a sniper's weapon. Jackals sometimes abandon the shields in favor of carrying the Particle Beam Rifle in their capacity as snipers. When these snipers are face to face with a stronger opponent, they will drop any heavy weaponry they may have and cower like a Grunt, but if given a chance will pull out a plasma pistol and continue fighting. Their appearance is thin and bird-like, and their bodies are quite frail. Jackals appear to be predominantly left-handed (as opposed to the other Covenant species or to humans). Their rank is shown by the color of their body and of their shield. They are often cruel to the Grunts, considering themselves better than they are and to ensure their own superiority though other Covenant caste members just simply believe the Grunts are lower than they are. Jackals hold themselves above Grunts socially, even though they are in the same "worker" caste. They often refer to Grunts with derogatory monikers such as "gas suckers," due to the Grunts' need to breathe methane gas. The Grunts in turn seem to dislike the Jackals as a Grunt is heard saying "Stupid Jackal, say thank you!" after the Arbiter has destroyed the Sentinel which was attacking them. In Halo 2 a Grunt also tells the Arbiter "If hungry, eat Jackal!" Jackals can be heard or identified even before they are seen by their unique screech/yell sound. This cry is usually heard when the player has been spotted. The Jackals have chosen to side with the Prophets and Brutes in the Covenant civil war for unknown reasons, but it is speculated that it is due to their dislike of the Grunts which have sided with the Separatists.

Jackals come in two different skin colors: Black, and orange. The darker Jackals are not seen in Halo 2, and in Halo CE are seen holding the blue plasma sheilds. Another note of difference between the two versions of Jackals is their glowing pink eyes and a lesser amount of armor in Halo 2. Jackals in Halo 2 do not roll or flee as often as their Halo CE counterparts, making it more difficult to exploit gaps in their defenses. All of the Jackals seen in Halo 2 have mohawks, while their Halo: CE counterparts are not always seen with mohawks.

According to the action figure released by Joyride Studios, Jackals have been described as paying only the merest lip service to the cause of the Covenant, and are more or less mercenaries working for the alliance. They have been known for privateering, but the Covenant at large either condones or turns a blind eye to this practice.