Articuno takes the form of a large bird with predominantly blue plumage. Its coloring is darkest on its long streamer-like tail and head crest. Its head crest is fairly simple, consisting of three rhombus-shaped feathers on its forehead. Its body is a sky-blue, growing lighter on its chest and belly. Its most distinctive feature is its large wings, which look like they are made of ice. It has a small gray beak and thin, similarly-colored legs.
Gender differences
Articuno is a genderless species.
Special abilities
When Articuno flaps its wings, it can chill the moisture in the air around it, making snow fall.
Behavior
Articuno is one of the legendary birds of Kanto. Articuno is more passive than its counterparts; due to its isolation in the highest mountains, Articuno dislikes battling. It is a poorly understood species, believed by many to be pure myth. According to legend, it appears before doomed travelers lost in icy regions. It is impossible to tell if these are valid sightings (as doomed travelers would have no way of passing on their story of the sighting), or merely delusions of the dying. It is described as being spectacular in flight: with its long tail streaming behind it, and its wings shining like ice. It is said to cause snow to fall when it flies, and has the potential ability to create blizzards.
Articuno lives in cold, isolated locations, such as mountain peaks. An Articuno is known to roost inside the Seafoam Islands of Kanto. Articuno is an extremely rare Pokémon. In Sinnoh, it is roaming round, showing that it can withstand warmer temperatures.
Another was seen in the episode Freeze Frame. It appears to Team Rocket early in the episode, and then to Ash, Todd, Misty, and Brock. Travelers say that the Articuno watch over them on their journeys through the mountains of Johto. Nurse Joy says that Articuno has a nest in all the high mountains and cold places in the world, and flies from nest to nest bringing cold weather with it.
Articuno is shown to seal itself in a block of ice when it senses the presence of an enemy. It strongly dislikes confrontation. However in GSC, Blue was able to temporary get hold of it, together with Moltres and Zapdos. Its current status is unknown.
Articuno was one of the first four Pokémon designs revealed when the Pokémon 151 brand was first announced. In the shirt design, an Articuno is rising out of the right side with the number 144 on its chest.
When released from a Poké Ball, Articuno will use a Blizzard attack that freezes any opponent that is caught in it for a few seconds.
Trophy information
Clouds gather, the barometer plunges, and fresh snow falls from the frigid air when this legendary Pokémon takes wing. Graceful and elegant, it boasts long tail feathers that flap in the wind and are lovely to behold. As would be expected, its combat moves are based on its cold nature; they include Ice Beam and Blizzard.
Articuno is a legendary bird Pokémon that can control ice. The flapping of its wings chills the air. As a result, it is said that when this Pokémon flies, snow will fall.
Articuno is a legendary bird Pokémon that can control ice. The flapping of its wings chills the air. As a result, it is said that when this Pokémon flies, snow will fall.
Articuno is a legendary bird Pokémon that can control ice. The flapping of its wings chills the air. As a result, it is said that when this Pokémon flies, snow will fall.
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Despite its name obviously being based on the word "arctic", only one "c" appears in Articuno's name.
In the second episode of the anime, there is a engraving on the Veridian City Pokémon Center's wall that depicts the legendary birds. Ash mistakes the Articuno engraving as Ho-Oh. Though the blue coloration of the stone indicates the ice element, and the wings and crest feathers are those of Articuno, the tail feathers are more similar to those of Ho-Oh.
In Red, Blue, and Yellow, as well as FireRed and LeafGreen, there are binoculars in the guardhouse separating Fuchsia City from Route 15, through which Articuno can be seen flying toward the sea. It is still visible in the binoculars if it is captured or defeated in the Seafoam Islands.
Since there were only four tracks of battle music in the Generation I games (wild, Trainer, Gym Leader/Elite Four, and Champion), normal wild battle music is played when Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Mewtwo are encountered. In FireRed and LeafGreen, a special remix of the normal wild battle theme is used for the legendary birds, Mewtwo, and the legendary beasts when encountered.
In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2, it is the only one in its trio that cannot be encountered unless the player enters an event password.
Although legendaries are said to be incapable of breeding, Pokémon Snap shows Articuno and the other birds are born from eggs, which means they were bred in some way.
Articuno is the first legendary Pokémon in National Pokédex order.
In Generation I, Articuno had a different base stat total (485) then the other members of its trio - Zapdos had 490 and Moltres had 495. As of Generation II, due to the Special Attack/Defense split, all three legendary birds have had a base stat total of 580.
Articuno was the last Generation I Pokémon to be introduced in the anime, and the only one that did not appear in Season 1, if movies and banned episodes are included (Mew is the last if its appearances in movies are not counted).
Articuno is the only Pokémon other than Smeargle and Poliwrath who can learn an accuracy-focusing move and an OHKO move, learning Mind Reader and Sheer Cold.
Origin
This Pokémon's appearance is based on the Arabic Anka myth, which is that of a giant arctic bird. The bird is similar to the phoenix as it is known to resurrect itself and appear to doomed people in the mountains. Also, its long tail and small body may be reference to the rare bird, the quetzal.
Name origin
Articuno's name is a combination of the words arctic and uno, the Spanish word for one, indicating that it is the first in the series of Kantolegendary birds. Its Japanese name is simply Freezer, one who freezes.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
For other sprites and images, please see Articuno images on Bulbagarden Archives.
