Swellow

Swellow
Swellow National Pokédex Taillow - Swellow (#277) - Wingull Hoenn Pokédex Taillow - Swellow (#026) - Wingull
Japanese name	Ohsubame
Evolves from	Taillow
Evolves into	None
Generation	Third
Species	Swallow Pokémon
Type	Normal / Flying
Height	2 ft 4 in (0.70 m)
Weight	43.7 pounds (19.8 kg)
Ability	Guts

Swellow (オオスバメ, Ōsubame, Ohsubame in original Japanese language versions) is a fictional character from the Pokémon Franchise.

Its name is derived from the words swallow and swell, since this Pokémon is based on a swallow. The Japanese name Ohsubame is a combination of the Japanese words for large or great (大, ō) and swallow (燕, tsubame).

Biological characteristics

Swellow is a moderately large bird with dark-blue plumage, a largely white underbelly with a red geometrically-patterned top section, and two prominent tail feathers (remnants from its pre-evolution, Taillow). These tail feathers are apparently an indication of Swellow’s overall health; if they are standing at attention, Swellow is in ideal shape.

Swellow is an avian Pokémon with acute natural talents among other birds. It consistently flies elegantly at high altitudes, often performing graceful arcs in the sky. It lives as a migratory bird of prey; it constantly flies towards warmer climates in a migratory fashion, and the moment it spots its prey, Swellow dives down at a steep angle and snatches the hapless victim tightly with its talons. It never misses its targets in this respect.

Swellow is quite fastidious with its own body, especially its wings. When it is not cleaning its wings and tail feathers regularly, two Swellow are gathered together and unhesitantly take it upon themselves to clean each other’s wings.

In the Pokémon video games

Fortree City Gym Leader Winona uses a Swellow.

In Pokemon Pearl they can be found on route 13(after optaining National Pokedex). You need to use rock climb to get upon the grassy spot where you get them74.236.94.133 00:23, 19 June 2007 (UTC)ed swellow evolves from tailow at level 22

In the Pokémon anime

In the anime episode "That's Just Swellow", Ash Ketchum's Taillow evolves into Swellow but the first time it was shown was when Vito of the Winstrate family used one to protect his family in the episode "Candid Camerupt". In "A Sky High Gym Battle", Winona, the Fortree City gym leader, had a Shiny Swellow and used it in a battle against Ash. While the Swellow knocked out Ash's Grovyle, it, ironically, lost to Ash's Swellow.

Swellow later fulfills the same duties as Pidgeotto and Noctowl (Ash's Stage 1 Flying-types before Swellow). However, unlike his former flying pokémon, Swellow has been given actual character development, rather than simply popping Team Rocket's balloons, for Ash has used Swellow in every Hoenn Gym Battle since its evolution, all his 6 vs 6 matches in the Hoenn League, and two of his Battle Frontier matches. Ash's Swellow is known for surviving attacks, especially electric attacks, that would have knocked it out. Additionally, although a trait of its species, Swellow has displayed exceptional persistence in battles.

After completing the Battle Frontier challenge, Ash leaves Swellow (as well as Corphish, Sceptile, and Donphan) at Professor Oak's lab before heading off to Sinnoh. Currently in Sinnoh, Ash's Staravia has succeeded Swellow in the aforementioned balloon popping role.

In the trading card game

Swellow has a comparatively healthy showing in card format. It has made the following stage-1 Colorless appearances. It also appeared in EX Dragon Frontiers as Swellow δ:

• EX Ruby and Sapphire
• EX Sandstorm
• EX Deoxys
• EX Emerald
• EX Delta Species
• EX Dragon Frontiers (as Swellow δ, Fire type)

References

• The following games and their instruction manuals: Pokémon Red and Blue; Pokémon Yellow; Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Stadium 2; Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal; Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald; Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen; Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness

Publications

• Barbo, Maria. The Official Pokémon Handbook. Scholastic Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-439-15404-9.
• Loe, Casey, ed. Pokémon Special Pikachu Edition Official Perfect Guide. Sunnydale, CA: Empire 21 Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-930206-15-1.
• Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed & Pokémon LeafGreen Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 1-930206-50-X
• Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon Pokédex Collector’s Edition: Prima’s Official Pokémon Guide. Prima Games, September 21 2004. ISBN 0-7615-4761-4
• Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon Emerald Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., April 2005. ISBN 1-930206-58-5

External links

• Official Pokémon website
• Bulbapedia (a Pokémon-centric Wiki) ’s article about Swellow as a species
• Template:Serebiidex
• Pokémon Dungeon Pokédex entry, full of statistics analysis
• PsyPoke - Swellow Pokédex entry and Usage Overview
• Smogon.com - Swellow Tactical Data
• Template:WikiKnowledge