Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and Pidgeot

Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and Pidgeot, known as Poppo (ポッポ^?), Pigeon (ピジョン, Pijon^?), and Pigeot (ピジョット, Pijotto^?) in Japan, are three Pokémon species in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise. Created by Ken Sugimori, they first appeared in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue and subsequent sequels. They have later appeared in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adaptations of the franchise.

Design and characteristics

A Common Ground Dove, a member of the pigeon species for which Pidgey and its evolutions are based on.

Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and Pidgeot are three of 151 different designs conceived by Game Freak's character development team and finalized by Ken Sugimori for the first generation of Pocket Monsters games Red and Green, which were localized outside of Japan as Pokémon Red and Blue.^[1][2] Originally called "Poppo", "Pigeon", and "Pigeot" in Japanese, Nintendo decided to give the various Pokémon species "clever and descriptive names" related to their appearance or features when translating the game for western audiences as a means to make the characters more relatable to American children.^[3] All three names come from the common bird "pigeon".^[4][5][6] Pidgey and Pidgeot were originally known as Pidge and Pidgeott; the former name was changed to avoid mispronunciation, while the latter was changes to avoid confusion between Pidgeotto and Pidgeot.^[4][6]

Pidgey, known as the Tiny Bird Pokémon, resembles a small, plump-bodied bird. It is a brown color, with a lighter colored throat and belly. The tips of its wings share this cream color. Both its feet and beak are a pinkish-gray color. Its plumage is fairly nondescript, particularly compared to its evolutions Pidgeotto and Pidgeot. It has black markings around its eyes and a small crest of brown and cream feathers above its eyes. Pidgey are docile and prefer to avoid conflict. If disturbed, however, it can ferociously strike back^[7] and will use its wings to stir up clouds of sand in an attempt to distract its would-be opponent and escape.^[8] Pidgey also uses this technique to bring its preferred prey of small insects into the open.^[9] Pidgey seems to possess magnetoception, as it is capable of returning to its nest from any location without fail.^[10]

Pidgeotto, known as the Bird Pokémon, is a larger and stronger form that Pidgey takes when it gains enough experience. It is a large raptor-like bird. While its primary color is brown, its plumage is much more elaborate than its pre-evolution, Pidgey. Its head-crest is much longer than Pidgey's and is a reddish color. The plumage of its tail is also quite colorful, alternating between red and yellow. Other than its ornamental plumage, its basic coloration is similar to Pidgey, with pinkish-gray feet and black markings around its eyes. Pidgeotto is extremely territorial, generally claiming a large area with its nest built in the center. Full of vitality, it constantly patrols its territory, mercilessly attacking intruders. They fly about in circular patterns while hunting, and can spot the movements of their prey on the ground no matter how high they fly.^[11] Pidgeotto attacks with its wickedly sharp talons and carries its prey, including Exeggcute and Magikarp, back to its nest from as far as 60 miles away or more.^[12]

Pidgeot, known as the Bird Pokémon, it is the fully grown and developed form of the Pidgey species evolution line. Pidgeot is noticeably larger than its pre-evolution. Its plumage tends to be larger and glossier. The feathers on its head-crest are nearly as long as its body, and are yellow and red. Its tail feathers are red colored. Like its previous evolutions, its underbelly is a tan color, and it has black markings around its eyes. With their powerful chest muscles at work, Pidgeot can flap their wings fast enough to whip up gusts of winds to rival tornadoes.^[13] Pidgeot are very aerodynamic, capable of soaring to an altitude of 3300 feet^[14] and reaching speeds of up to Mach 2.^[15] Like Pidgeotto, Pidgeot feed on Magikarp by swooping from the sky and snatching them out of the water with their talons.^[14] Pidgeot appear very similar to Pidgeotto, so much so that one has been easily mistaken for the other, even by official sources.^[16]

Appearances

Video games

The first video game appearance of the Pidgey evolutionary line was in Pokémon Red and Blue versions. It later appeared in several sequels, including Pokémon Gold and Silver, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, the Red and Blue remakes Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Outside of the main series, they have appeared in Pokémon Pinball and the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games, while Pidgey itself appeared in Pokémon Snap.

Anime

Pidgey appeared in the first television episode, Pokémon, I Choose You!, when the main character, Ash Ketchum, attempts to catch one. He fails when it uses its Gust attack to blow him away and escapes. Afterwards, it uses its Sand Attack to blind Ash, allowing it to get away.^[17] Pidgey are frequently seen in the background of many episodes flying in packs of ten or more. Sometimes they may appear in town centers or fields nearby to Ash and co. and usually fly away due to any local disturbance. Pidgeotto was the second Pokémon Ash caught in the beginning of his career. Ash caught Pidgeotto in the same episode as Caterpie was caught.^[18] It played a role as one of Ash's main Pokémon. It was frequently used for breaking Team Rocket's Meowth-shaped balloon. It eventually evolved into Pidgeot and left Ash's party to guard other Pidgey and Pidgeotto.^[19] Pidgeot is owned by several trainers such as Falkner, Rudy, and Sir Aaron. They are voiced in the Japanese and English versions of the cartoon by Megumi Hayashibara who is best known for voicing Jessie in the Japanese language version of Pokémon.

Other media

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Pidgey makes a couple of cameos as one of the Pokémon that escapes from Professor Oak's Laboratory and when a frozen Pidgey is pictured by Bill in his explanation about how to stop a flying Pokémon. Also, the Safari Zone's tour guide is an automated robotic Pidgey. In one round, Yellow's Caterpie gets taken by a Pidgeotto, and her Pikachu saved it. Falkner also owns a Pidgeotto. Blue owns a Pidgeot that was one of the earliest members of his team, and now resides in the Viridian Gym as one of its defenders in case of challengers appearing while he is away. Professor Oak, in his disguise as "Dr. O," is seen with a Pidgeot.

In The Electric Tale of Pikachu manga, Ash owns a Pidgeotto by the name of "Walter". When Ash tries to use it in a battle against Misty, he finds that Pidgeotto has left his team to get some rest. In Pokémon Zensho, a flock of Pidgey swarm Satoshi near the beginning of the story. Much later, Shigeru has a Pidgeot he uses to attack Satoshi while he is flying on his Charizard.

Reception

Since it appeared in the Pokémon series, the Pidgey evolutionary line has been met with generally positive reception. They have been featured in several forms of merchandise, including figurines, plush toys, and as cards in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.

Loredana Lipperini, author of Generazione Pókemon: i bambini e l'invasione planetaria dei nuovi, commented that while Pidgey's name was based on pigeon, it more closely resembled a sparrow. She also commented on Pidgeotto, describing it as more aggressive than Pidgey. In discussing Pidgeot, she described it as a predator of beetles, much like real birds.^[20] IGN described Pidgey as a common Pokémon, and one that any player of the original titles should have caught at one point or another.^[21] IGN editor "Pokémon of the Day Chick" called Pidgeot a "sentimental favorite," while she also cited capturing Pidgey and Pidgeotto as a fond memory.^[22][23] GamesRadar editor Brett Elston attributed Pidgey's popularity to being commonly seen in the anime as well as being a solid Pokémon.^[24] When comparing Pidgeotto to Fearow, Elston stated that while Fearow grew to its maximum much quicker and would be more powerful, Pidgeotto does not peter out as quickly, stating that it is more fun to watch Pokémon grow.^[25] However, he noted that while Fearow and Staraptor were better in certain capacities, Pidgeot learns several moves after Pidgey evolves into it.^[26] The Independent described Pidgey as a "cute-looking monster" and a "moderately angry pigeon."^[27]

External links

Pokémon portal

• Official Pokémon website
• Pidgey on Bulbapedia
• Pidgeotto on Bulbapedia
• Pidgeot on Bulbapedia
• Pidgeotto at the Internet Movie Database

References