Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres facts for kids

Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres are three very special and rare Pokémon in the Pokémon world. They are known as the "Legendary Birds." Articuno is an Ice and Flying-type Pokémon, Zapdos is an Electric and Flying-type, and Moltres is a Fire and Flying-type.

These powerful Pokémon first appeared in the Pokémon Red and Blue video games. Since then, they have shown up in many other Pokémon games, movies, and TV shows. They are often hard to find and catch, making them exciting challenges for trainers!

Meet the Legendary Birds

These three bird Pokémon are some of the first 151 Pokémon ever created. They were designed by Ken Sugimori for the very first Pokémon games.

When the games were translated from Japanese to English, Nintendo gave the Pokémon new names. This helped make them more familiar to players outside of Japan.

How They Got Their Names

The names of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres are a mix of English words and Spanish numbers:

• Articuno combines "Arctic" (meaning very cold) with "uno," which is Spanish for one.
• Zapdos mixes "zap" (like an electric shock) with "dos," which is Spanish for two.
• Moltres combines "molten" (like hot, melted rock) with "tres," which is Spanish for three.

Articuno: The Freeze Pokémon

Articuno is a beautiful bird with blue feathers and a long, sparkling tail. It has a crest of three feathers on its head. Its wings are almost see-through and feel very cold.

Articuno can create and control ice and snow. When it flies, it chills the air so much that water turns into snow. Legends say that Articuno lives in icy mountains and helps lost explorers.

Zapdos: The Electric Pokémon

Zapdos looks like it's made of lightning! It's a large bird with black and yellow spiky feathers. Its tail feathers stick out in many directions, adding to its electric look.

This Pokémon gathers energy from thunderstorms. It is often seen during storms and is said to live in storm clouds. When Zapdos flies, it makes loud crackling sounds, like lightning bolts.

Moltres looks like the mythological Phoenix.

Moltres: The Flame Pokémon

Moltres is a fiery bird that looks a lot like the mythical Phoenix. It has bright, flame-colored feathers. Its wings and head crest seem to be covered in fire.

Moltres can create and control fire. When it flaps its wings, it creates a bright flash of flames. If Moltres gets hurt, it will fly to a volcano and dip itself in hot lava to heal. It's also said that Moltres flies south in spring, bringing an early spring with it.

Where They Appear

The legendary birds first appeared in the Game Boy video games Pokémon Red and Blue, and Pokémon Yellow. In these games, they are very rare and appear only once in a specific spot. They are tough to catch! If you defeat them without catching them, they disappear forever.

They have also appeared in many other main Pokémon games, like Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, and Pokémon X and Y.

Outside of the main games, you can find them in:

• The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games
• Pokémon Snap
• Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs
• Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

In the mobile game Pokémon Go, each legendary bird represents one of the three teams:

• Articuno represents Team Mystic.
• Zapdos represents Team Instinct.
• Moltres represents Team Valor.

After the first Pokémon GO Fest in 2017, these birds became available in the game through special "raid battles."

In the Pokémon Sword and Shield expansion, The Crown Tundra, the legendary birds got new "Galarian Forms." These forms change their look and their types:

• Galarian Articuno is Psychic/Flying.
• Galarian Zapdos is Fighting/Flying.
• Galarian Moltres is Dark/Flying.

In Movies and TV Shows

The legendary birds played a big role in the movie Pokémon: The Movie 2000. In the movie, a villain named Lawrence III tries to capture them. This causes a big problem with the world's weather!

In the Pokémon TV show, Articuno has appeared in a few episodes. In one story, it saves Ash and his friends from a snowstorm. Zapdos and Moltres have also made appearances, often showing off their amazing powers.

In Manga Comics

The legendary birds also appear in the Pokémon Adventures manga comics. In one story, Articuno is captured by Team Rocket and used in a battle. Later, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres are even merged together to form a super-powerful Pokémon called "Zapmolcuno"! This combined form was very strong, but eventually, the heroes managed to defeat it and free the birds.

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Pokémon de la primera generación para niños