Bird Pokémon

These 96 Pokémon are based on birds, from pigeons and owls to penguins and pelicans, plus legendary birds from myth like Ho-Oh. Each card names the bird behind the design. A Pokémon makes the list for its design, not its type, so Piplup and Torchic are here, while Flying-types like Butterfree and Zubat aren't. Select a Pokémon to see its full Pokédex entry.

Sort by

Displaying 96 of 96 Pokémon.

#016

Pidgey

Based on a house sparrow

#017

Pidgeotto

Based on a bird of prey like an osprey

#018

Pidgeot

Based on an osprey or an eagle

#021

Spearow

Based on a sparrow and a shrike

#022

Fearow

Based on a vulture or a condor

#054

Psyduck

Based on a duck, like a rubber duck

#055

Golduck

Based on a duck and the kappa, a water spirit

#083

Farfetch’d

Based on a wild duck that carries a leek

#083

Galarian Farfetch’d

A Galarian duck that fights with its leek

#084

Doduo

Based on an ostrich with two heads

#085

Dodrio

Based on an ostrich, with a cassowary's crests

#137

Porygon

Based on a paper crane rendered in polygons

#144

Articuno

Based on mythical birds like the Simurgh

#144

Galarian Articuno

Based on the cockatrice, with a masquerade mask

#145

Zapdos

Based on the thunderbird from Indigenous myth

#145

Galarian Zapdos

Based on running birds like the kiwi

#146

Moltres

Based on the phoenix, a bird reborn from fire

#146

Galarian Moltres

Based on a cormorant, with a dark phoenix’s flames

#163

Hoothoot

Based on a young Eurasian eagle-owl

#164

Noctowl

Based on a Eurasian eagle-owl

#175

Togepi

Based on a newly hatched chick in its shell

#176

Togetic

Based on a baby bird and a fairy

#177

Natu

Based on a small bird like a quetzal

#178

Xatu

Based on the resplendent quetzal

#198

Murkrow

Based on a crow wearing a witch's hat

#225

Delibird

Based on a rockhopper penguin and Santa Claus

#227

Skarmory

Based on a condor, armored in steel

#233

Porygon2

Based on a paper crane, smoothed into curves

#249

Lugia

Mixes a heron-like bird with a sea dragon

#250

Ho-Oh

Based on the fenghuang, a Chinese phoenix

#255

Torchic

Based on a chick

#256

Combusken

Based on a fighting rooster

#257

Blaziken

Based on the Shamo, a Japanese fighting chicken

#276

Taillow

Based on a barn swallow

#277

Swellow

Based on a barn swallow

#278

Wingull

Based on a gull

#279

Pelipper

Based on a pelican

#333

Swablu

Based on a bluebird with cloud-like wings

#334

Altaria

Based on a songbird and a Chinese dragon

#393

Piplup

Based on an emperor penguin chick

#394

Prinplup

Based on a crested penguin

#395

Empoleon

Based on an emperor penguin

#396

Starly

Based on a young white-cheeked starling

#397

Staravia

Based on a starling and a northern lapwing

#398

Staraptor

Based on a starling with a raptor's build

#430

Honchkrow

Based on a raven, styled like a mob boss

#441

Chatot

Based on a parrot

#468

Togekiss

Based on a dove of peace and the Chinese phoenix

#474

Porygon-Z

Based on a paper crane, glitched by a computer virus

#488

Cresselia

Based on a swan and the moon goddess Chang’e

#519

Pidove

Based on a pigeon, with a heart motif

#520

Tranquill

Based on an oriental turtle dove

#521

Unfezant

Based on a green pheasant

#561

Sigilyph

Based on the bird figures of the Nazca Lines

#566

Archen

Based on Archaeopteryx, an early bird

#567

Archeops

Based on Archaeopteryx and Microraptor

#580

Ducklett

Based on a duckling

#581

Swanna

Based on a mute swan

#627

Rufflet

Based on a bald eagle chick

#628

Braviary

Based on a bald eagle

#628

Hisuian Braviary

Based on a Steller's sea eagle

#629

Vullaby

Based on a vulture chick

#630

Mandibuzz

Based on a lappet-faced vulture, with a bearded vulture’s taste for bones

#641

Tornadus Therian

Based on a bird of prey like an eagle

#661

Fletchling

Based on a Japanese robin

#662

Fletchinder

Based on a Japanese robin and a waxwing

#663

Talonflame

Based on a peregrine falcon

#701

Hawlucha

Based on a hawk dressed as a luchador

#717

Yveltal

A Y-shaped bird based on vultures and ravens

#722

Rowlet

Based on a barn owl chick

#723

Dartrix

Based on a barn owl

#724

Decidueye

Based on the pueo, a Hawaiian owl

#724

Hisuian Decidueye

Based on Blakiston's fish owl

#731

Pikipek

Based on a pileated woodpecker

#732

Trumbeak

Based on a woodpecker

#733

Toucannon

Based on a toco toucan

#741

Oricorio

Based on the ʻiʻiwi, a Hawaiian honeycreeper

#785

Tapu Koko

Based on a rooster and the Thunderbird of myth

#821

Rookidee

Based on a blue tit

#822

Corvisquire

Based on a jackdaw

#823

Corviknight

Based on a raven in a knight's armor

#845

Cramorant

Based on a cormorant

#865

Sirfetch’d

Based on a duck knight with a leek lance

#875

Eiscue

Based on a penguin with an ice-cube head

#912

Quaxly

Based on a crested duckling

#913

Quaxwell

Based on a crested duck

#914

Quaquaval

Based on a peacock and a crested coot

#931

Squawkabilly

Based on a monk parakeet

#940

Wattrel

Based on a storm petrel

#941

Kilowattrel

Based on a frigatebird

#955

Flittle

Based on a bird chick

#956

Espathra

Based on an ostrich

#962

Bombirdier

Based on a white stork

#973

Flamigo

Based on a flamingo

#991

Iron Bundle

A futuristic robot based on Delibird

#1016

Fezandipiti

Based on a copper pheasant

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Pokémon are based on birds?

There are 96 bird Pokémon, counting each evolution and regional form. They include the Pidgey, Spearow, Psyduck, Farfetch’d, Doduo, Porygon, Hoothoot, Togepi, Natu, Murkrow, Torchic, Taillow, Wingull, Swablu, Piplup, Starly, Pidove, Archen, Ducklett, Rufflet, Vullaby, Fletchling, Rowlet, Pikipek, Rookidee, Quaxly, Wattrel and Flittle lines. Delibird, Skarmory, Chatot, Sigilyph, Hawlucha, Oricorio, Cramorant, Eiscue, Squawkabilly, Bombirdier, Flamigo and Iron Bundle are birds too, along with the legendary Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Cresselia, Tornadus (Therian Forme), Yveltal, Tapu Koko and Fezandipiti.

Are all Flying-type Pokémon birds?

No. Plenty of Flying-types are other animals, such as Butterfree (a butterfly), Zubat (a bat) and Dragonite (a dragon). And some birds aren't Flying-types at all, like Piplup, Torchic, Quaxly and Fezandipiti.

What is the strongest bird Pokémon?

Ho-Oh, Lugia and Yveltal share the highest base stat total of any bird Pokémon, at 680. Cresselia is next at 600, then Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres, their Galarian forms and Tornadus in its Therian Forme at 580.

What was the first bird Pokémon?

Pidgey, #16 in the National Pokédex, is the first bird Pokémon by number. It debuted with its evolutions, Pidgeotto and Pidgeot, in Pokémon Red and Green in 1996.

Is Lugia a bird Pokémon?

Partly. Lugia's design mixes a bird, such as a heron, with a sea dragon and a plesiosaur. It's on the list next to its counterpart, Ho-Oh.

Is Porygon a bird Pokémon?

Yes, in its shape. Porygon is a bird, or a folded paper crane, built from computer polygons, and Porygon2 and Porygon-Z keep that outline. So the whole line is on this list.