There are Pokémon based on all sorts of animals, from fictional and mythical beasts like dragons and fairies to cute little mice. These can vary wildly in quality, but if you’re looking for the most consistent type of Pokémon design, then birds have got to be right up there. From the biggest Legendary birds to the smallest they all have something special.
Not every Flying-type is a bird, of course, there are a few dragons and bugs mixed in, but there’s a reason that the Route 1 bird has become a staple in every generation. We’re taking to the skies and picking out the very best that the Flying-type has to offer. Our criteria may not be quite as scientific as an ornithology degree, but this is more fun.
Make sure you check out our rankings of other Pokémon types such as the best Fire-types, best Water-types, and the best Grass-types.
Togekiss
One of the first Generation 2 Pokémon ever revealed, Togepi captured everyone’s hearts immediately. This small creature that can’t even get out of its own egg is the very definition of a cute Pokémon, and everyone wanted to get their hands on one. Then it evolved into Togetic and…it’s fine. It retains that cute factor its pre-evolution had, but when you really look at it, it’s just an egg with wings.
Then, Generation 4 came along and bestowed Togepi with a gift from the heavens, a new evolution, Togekiss. This simple smile on its face makes it a wonderful companion. The blue & red spots are just enough to make it visually interesting, and when Generation 6 gave it the Fairy-type, it became a must-have for any team it could fit on.
Gliscor
A Ground/Flying-type sounds like it doesn’t make any sense, but Gliscor just about makes it work. Its bat-like design undeniably involves the idea of flying, but the way it bounces on its tail and has shovels for claws allows you to imagine it scooping up chunks of earth and hurling them at its opponents. It’s such a charming design too, although it has an intimidating aura, the slightly goofy grin with little fangs brings an easy smile to your face.
Altaria
This angry, bulky, fluffy bird is everything you could possibly want from a battling bird. Its dragon typing gives it some super powerful moves, and if it sets up properly then it’ll blast away an entire team while barely getting scratched by opposing attacks. Plus, when the battle’s over you can snuggle up to it and become enveloped in a wall of heavenly fluff.
Lugia
It’s easy to forget that Lugia is a Flying-type since it looks more like a dinosaur than any kind of bird. In fact, despite being heavily associated with waterfalls and oceans, it’s not even a Water-type. Truthfully, both Ho-Oh and Lugia could’ve made this list, but Lugia just gets the nod for having this unassuming and calming aura around it. Where Ho-Oh is fierce and fiery, Lugia feels like a dog who just likes to sit and chill with you all day, but would also viciously defend you if it had to.
Staraptor
This first (but not the last) Route 1 bird we’re putting on this list because it’s arguably the best showcase of what makes them so beloved. While their designs are relatively simple and often somewhat plain, they have just the right amount of power and attitude behind them that makes them dependable partners. They follow the same philosophy as the Starter Pokémon, balancing boundless adorable energy with a cool attitude.
Corviknight
While Staravia represents the archetypical Route 1 bird, Corviknight represents what awesome feats can be achieved by breaking outside of those boundaries. There’s nothing cute about this armoured raven – it is an absolute murderous machine that would tear you apart the moment you make eye contact with it. Not to mention, it has the perfect shiny, flipping to an entirely white palette. This white knight vs black knight visual makes it one of the thematically strongest Pokémon in all of Galar.
Articuno
Picking one of the Legendary birds was a difficult task, especially when they each have a Galarian form now. So, here’s a bonus ranking of all of them.
- Kantonian Articuno.
- Galarian Moltres.
- Galarian Articuno.
- Kantonian Zapdos.
- Galarian Zapdos.
- Kantonian Moltres (you’re blinded by nostalgia. It’s trash, admit it).
As you can clearly see from this scientific method, this means Articuno averages out to the best. The Galarian form is a beautiful shade of purple and can shoot psychic laser beams from its eyes. Then there’s the original Kantonian form which is the perfect blue and has those gorgeous wings that make it look as graceful as it is deadly.
Noivern
Ok, yes, the things on its head look a bit silly but don’t count Noivern out based on that alone. It’s one of the sleekest looking Dragon-types out there. The way the wing and face have this pointed triangular shape make it really cool, and while cyan, purple, and black aren’t colours you’d think would work together, they’re perfect in this design.
Rayquaza
There’s simply too much to say about this space snake that can have you ride its back into orbit and smash directly through an asteroid unharmed.
Well…actually, that’s probably all that needs to be said. Rayquaza’s awesome.
Talonflame
It’s difficult to put into words exactly what makes Talonflame the perfect bird Pokémon. It’s exactly what an animal-based Pokémon should be, it takes all of the best features of the animal and enhances them to make it look fantastical, but still relatively realistic. The harsh orange combined with the pale blue is a brilliant choice for colour that makes it interesting to look at and invokes the feeling of “fire” without overdoing it (Kantonian Moltres, looking at you).
Not to mention it’s a beast on the battlefield. It’s quick as lightning and can get even quicker with Tailwind. It has access to two incredibly powerful moves in Brave Bird and Fire Blast, so you don’t want to get in its way. It’s everything a Flying-type Pokémon should be and if you ever overlooked it, go back and see how wrong you were.
Written by Ryan Woodrow on behalf of GLHF.
