Pidgeotto Report

Pidgeotto (the Bird Pokémon) is a relatively uncommon Normal/Flying-type Pokémon found among grassy fields and forests within the Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh and Kalos regions as well as parts of the Sevii Islands and the Hoenn, Unova and Alola regions on rare occasions. Though perhaps not as versatile as other bird Pokémon, Pidgeotto are powerful creatures that can easily tear apart unsuspecting opponents with their razor-sharp talons and vicious Gust attacks. They might only be a stepping stone onto greater things, but trainers that were disappointed with their Pidgey's lack of confidence will have no trouble warming up to these brutish hunters; just make sure that your opponent doesn't use any Bug-type Pokémon, or your Pidgeotto will likely do everything in its power to make a meal out of them!

Unlike their relatively docile pre-evolved form, Pidgeotto are vicious hunters and will often travel great distances just to find a single meal. More importantly, though, Pidgeotto are highly territorial and will viciously assault any threat that dares to enter their immediate vicinity unannounced. In the wild and when defending, Pidgeotto primarily rely on their claws to deal the most damage, as their sharp talons are capable of easily ripping large gouges in soft flesh (though they are relatively ineffective against even weak armor). If they have the opportunity, Pidgeotto will even occasionally use their beak to peck at intruders as a warning, preferring not to completely destroy them or blow them away with a Whirlwind technique unless it is deemed absolutely necessary. If Pidgeotto are pressed into a combat role, they will generally resort to using their Tackle and Wing Attack moves to deal the most damage up close, while Gust attacks are generally preferred at longer ranges. Interestingly enough, Pidgeotto (as well as their evolved form, Pidgeot) can also manage to generate Twister attacks under extremely stressful situations, though the actual damage of the attack is somewhat low and is more for show than anything else.

Pidgeotto are loners and will generally claim a fairly large region of forest land or field as their territory, building their nest within the exact center of their territory's range. Pidgeotto have excellent eyesight that allows them to keep track of the movements of prey hundreds of feet below them, granting them an element of surprise that few insects and small Bug-type Pokémon (which comprise the majority of their diet) are able to counter before death. Every single day, Pidgeotto will tirelessly fly in a circular pattern throughout their territory in search of prey; once a suitable organism is found, Pidgeotto will quickly dive down and snatch the unsuspecting victim from the ground with their sharp talons before choking them to death or severing their windpipe and/or jugular while ascending again. In some cases, this technique is effective enough to allow Pidgeotto to even snatch Pokémon like Exeggcute (which are one of the few non-animal organisms predatory birds feast on because of their flavor and nutritional content), which would otherwise prove very difficult for traditional birds to handle. Once a suitable prey has been snatched and killed, Pidgeotto will fly all the way back to their nest, even if it happens to be 60 miles away, before finally taking the time to enjoy their meal. Pidgeotto usually have to repeat this process several times a day to fulfill their appetites, but since they generally stick to young Bug-types like Caterpie and Weedle, there is rarely ever a shortage of food for them in the wild.

While they might not learn much in the way of offense before evolution, Pidgeotto are still fierce creatures that can definitely give their trainers much more of an advantage in battle than a Pidgey ever could. With sharp talons to bear in close quarters and a Whirlwind technique guaranteed to blow away the competition from afar, it can definitely be understood why so many young Bird Keepers in the Kanto and Johto regions aspire to own a Pidgeotto someday. If anything else, they can at least help you bide some time before you can get your hands on a Pidgeot; just be careful not to upset them too much, or you might find out what happens when you mix a Feather Dance with six sharp talons: a lot of pain!

Professor Wormwood