#0956 · Paldea · Generation 9

Espathra

Ostrich Pokémon · Psychic-type

Espathra is a Psychic-type Pokémon, the Ostrich Pokémon, number 956 (#0956) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 9 and comes from the Paldea region. It is 1.9 m tall and weighs 90 kg.

Espathra is the Ostrich Pokémon, a long-legged Psychic type that sprints at faster than 193 km/h (120 mph) and freezes opponents in place with a psychic stare from its huge eyes.

How to pronounce Espathra

Espathra is pronounced es-PATH-ruh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Espathra said out loud:

In Japanese it is クエスパトラ (Cuespatra).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Espathra is a tall, flightless ostrich-like bird, 1.9 m tall and 90 kg, with a pointed snout that hides a tiny mouth and large blue eyes with white irises. Its head, neck and legs are lavender, white feathers cover its torso, topped by rounded brown wings. White frills form a headdress and long yellow and white frills make up its tail. It sends out psychic power from its eyes and from the gaps between its frills.

Behaviour

Despite its elegant look, the Pokédex says Espathra has a vicious temperament. Bulbapedia says that when it spots people it spreads its feathers, cries out and charges, but it turns badly and has to stop before dashing off in a new direction.

Habitat

Bulbapedia says it lives in deserts and mountainous regions, and Serebii adds underground biomes. In Scarlet and Violet it is found in Dalizapa Passage, the Asado Desert, North Province Area One and South Province Area Six, and it appears in 4-star Tera Raids.

Powers

Opportunist copies an opponent's stat boosts, Frisk reveals held items and Speed Boost is hidden. Its signature move is Lumina Crash, an 80-power Psychic attack that Bulbapedia says no other Pokémon can learn. It also uses Psychic, Dazzling Gleam and Drill Peck, and with 101 base Special Attack and 105 Speed it is a fast special attacker.

Name origin

Espathra may combine ESP, 'telepath' and Cleopatra. The Japanese name is Cuespatra (クエスパトラ), which may blend the Spanish cuello ('neck'), ESP and Cleopatra.

Design inspiration

Espathra looks like an ostrich, and its names suggest the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, perhaps via an Egyptian personification of truth whose symbol was an ostrich feather. Its layered frills may also echo 17th-century fashion. These are fan readings, not official statements.

Evolution notes

Espathra evolves from Flittle at level 35.

In the games

Players meet Espathra by evolving Flittle in Scarlet and Violet, where it debuted. Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Tulip's Espathra debuted in the Horizons episode 'Showdown! The Paldea Elite Four', where a Tag Battle was lost by default once its partner, Sidian's Garganacl, was beaten. In 'Wynaut?! Wy-Yes!' one fought a trio of Farigiraf.

Fun facts

• Bulbapedia credits Hitoshi Ariga, not Flittle's designer Atsuko Nishida, with designing Espathra, citing his posts on social media.
• Its French and German names, Cléopsytra and Psiopatra, echo Cleopatra too.
• Bulbapedia says Opportunist is found on no other known Pokémon.

Sources: Bulbapedia: Espathra (Pokémon) · Serebii: Espathra (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex)

Base stats

• HP: 95
• Attack: 60
• Defense: 60
• Sp. Atk: 101
• Sp. Def: 60
• Speed: 105

Espathra’s base stat total is 481. Its highest stat is Speed.

Type matchups

What is Espathra weak to?

Espathra takes extra damage from Bug (2×), Ghost (2×), Dark (2×) moves.

It resists Fighting (½×), Psychic (½×).

Evolution

What does Espathra evolve from?

Espathra evolves from Flittle at level 35.

Espathra is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Flittle, Espathra.

Abilities

• Opportunist: Copies stat boosts by the opponent.
• Frisk: Reveals an opponent's held item upon entering battle.
• Speed Boost (hidden ability): Raises Speed one stage after each turn.

Moves

Moves Espathra learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

“Evo” means Espathra learns the move the moment it evolves: Lumina Crash.

TM moves (53)

Espathra can learn 53 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Agility, Mud-Slap, Protect, Low Kick, Psybeam, Confuse Ray, Thief, Disarming Voice, Pounce, Facade, Aerial Ace, Hex, Swift, Stored Power, Night Shade, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, Psyshock, Zen Headbutt, U-turn, Foul Play, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Reflect, Light Screen, Dazzling Gleam, Rest, Flash Cannon, Skill Swap, Substitute, Trick, Shadow Ball, Hyper Voice, Energy Ball, Psychic, Calm Mind, Helping Hand, Baton Pass, Psychic Terrain, Giga Impact, Trick Room, Hyper Beam, Brave Bird, Tera Blast, Uproar, Psych Up, Double-Edge, Feather Dance, Expanding Force.

Egg moves (3), which Flittle can hatch knowing:Ally Switch, Hypnosis, Roost.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Flying.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 60 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium Slow (1,059,860 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 2 Speed effort values.
• Base experience yield: 168.

Pokédex entries

It emits psychic power from the gaps between its multicolored frills and sprints at speeds greater than 120 mph. (Violet)

It immobilizes opponents by bathing them in psychic power from its large eyes. Despite its appearance, it has a vicious temperament. (Scarlet)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Taller than 86% of all Pokémon (1.9 m).
• Heavier than 80% of all Pokémon (90 kg).
• Base stat total 481, ranked #403 of 1,025.
• Its best stat is Speed, ranked #100 of 1,025.
• One of 102 Psychic-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
• One of 88 yellow Pokémon.
• Number 51 of 120 Pokémon introduced in Generation 9 (Paldea).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 65 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 60: about 7.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 2 distinct Pokédex entries.

Sources and fact-checking

• Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
• Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Espathra (Pokémon), Serebii: Espathra (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (es-PATH-ruh): no English source says it out loud, so it is our best guess from the parts of the name.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Psychic-type Pokémon · Paldea region guide · Opportunist ability · Frisk ability · Speed Boost ability · Compare Espathra · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 9 Psychic-type Pokémon · Gen 9 Pokémon list · Yellow Pokémon list · Flying egg group · Pokémon that start with E · Bird Pokémon

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