#0279 · Hoenn · Generation 3

Pelipper

Water Bird Pokémon · Water/Flying-type

Pelipper is a Water/Flying-type Pokémon, the Water Bird Pokémon, number 279 (#0279) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 1.2 m tall and weighs 28 kg.

Pelipper is the Water Bird Pokémon, a flying delivery service. Its bill is so roomy, the Pokédex says, that a small child could fit inside, and it uses the bill to move eggs and small Pokémon somewhere safe.

How to pronounce Pelipper

Pelipper is pronounced PEL-ih-per. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Pelipper said out loud:

In Japanese it is ペリッパー.

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Pelipper is a white, pelican-like bird, 1.2 m tall and 28 kg, whose head and enormous yellow bill make up most of its body. It has a short blue crest, three blue digits on each wide wing, blue webbed feet and eyes made of two black semicircles split by a thin white line. The throat pouch inside its bill is where it carries its cargo.

Behaviour

Pelipper skims the wave tops, scoops up food and water in its bill, and swallows everything in one gulp. Young males gather food and bring it back to the nest, and the Pokédex says no one knows where Pelipper takes the small Pokémon it carries.

Habitat

According to the Pokédex, it nests on sea-facing cliffs that drop steeply to the water. In Scarlet and Violet it is found in Paldea's North and West Paldean Sea, and Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.

Diet

The Pokédex says it can swallow more than 30 Wishiwashi in one go.

Powers

Its Ability Drizzle summons rain for 5 turns when it enters battle, which pairs with its hidden Rain Dish; the other choice is Keen Eye. It fights with Water Pulse, Air Slash, Hurricane at level 55 and Hydro Pump at 62. Base Defense is 100 and Special Attack 95.

Name origin

Pelipper may blend 'pelican' with 'skipper' (a boat captain), 'flipper' or 'propeller', and may also involve 'lip' or 'clipper', a type of boat. The Japanese name is also Pelipper (ペリッパー).

Design inspiration

Pelipper is based on a pelican. Its shape and habit of bobbing on the waves also resemble a small fishing boat, with the bill like a hull, the head like a deckhouse and the eyes like doors with windows, though that is a fan reading.

Evolution notes

Pelipper is the final stage, evolving from Wingull at level 25.

In the games

Pelipper shares first place with Gyarados as the Pokémon Gym Leaders use most, Bulbapedia notes, with seven of them using one. It first appeared in Hoenn in Ruby and Sapphire.

In the anime

In 'Sky High Gym Battle!', Winona's Pelipper dealt with its weakness to Electric attacks by hitting the ground with Steel Wing, so the electricity passed harmlessly into it, though Pikachu still beat it.

Fun facts

• In 'You Said a Mouthful!', Anthony was exposed as a cheater for stuffing Poké Balls holding smaller Pokémon into his Pelipper's bill.
• Bulbapedia notes that the Poké Job company Pelipper Couriers is named after it and uses a stylised Pelipper as its logo.
• Pelipper and Mudkip star in a Project Voltage music video, in which Mudkip soars in Pelipper's beak wondering about its coming evolution.

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

Base stats

• HP: 60
• Attack: 50
• Defense: 100
• Sp. Atk: 95
• Sp. Def: 70
• Speed: 65

Pelipper’s base stat total is 440. Its highest stat is Defense.

Type matchups

What is Pelipper weak to?

Pelipper takes extra damage from Electric (4×), Rock (2×) moves.

It resists Fire (½×), Water (½×), Fighting (½×), Bug (½×), Steel (½×).

It is immune to Ground moves.

Evolution

What does Pelipper evolve from?

Pelipper evolves from Wingull at level 25.

Pelipper is the final stage of its evolution family.

The whole family: Wingull, Pelipper.

Abilities

• Keen Eye: Prevents accuracy from being lowered.
• Drizzle: Summons rain for five turns upon entering battle (eight with a Damp Rock).
• Rain Dish (hidden ability): Heals for 1/16 max HP after each turn during rain.

Moves

Moves Pelipper learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (44)

Pelipper can learn 44 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Agility, Protect, Water Pulse, Acrobatics, Thief, Chilling Water, Facade, Aerial Ace, Swift, Icy Wind, Air Cutter, Fling, Endure, Rain Dance, Snowscape, U-turn, Air Slash, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Waterfall, Rest, Fly, Gunk Shot, Substitute, Liquidation, Tailwind, Surf, Helping Hand, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Blizzard, Giga Impact, Hurricane, Hyper Beam, Brave Bird, Tera Blast, Knock Off, Weather Ball, Dual Wingbeat, Whirlpool, Muddy Water, Feather Dance.

Egg moves (1):Wide Guard.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
• Egg groups: Water 1, Flying.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 45 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
• Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 2 Defense effort values.
• Base experience yield: 154.

Pokédex entries

Skimming the water's surface, it dips its large bill in the sea, scoops up food and water, and carries it. (Black 2, White 2, Shield)

It is a messenger of the skies, carrying small Pokémon and eggs to safety in its bill. (Platinum, Black, White, Y, Sword)

It scoops up Wishiwashi in its huge beak and swallows them whole. It can devour more than 30 at one go! (Ultra Moon)

It places small Pokémon into its spacious beak and carries them around. No one knows where it's taking them. (Ultra Sun)

Gathering food is the work of young males. They store food in their capacious beaks and carry it back to others waiting in the nest. (Moon)

Its spacious beak is large enough for a small child to fit right inside. (Sun)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Highest Defense among Flying types in Gen 3: 100.
• Taller than 58% of all Pokémon (1.2 m).
• Heavier than 49% of all Pokémon (28 kg).
• Base stat total 440, ranked #527 of 1,025.
• One of 8 Pokémon that are both Water and Flying.
• One of 88 yellow Pokémon.
• Number 28 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 56 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 13 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: Pelipper (Pokémon), Serebii: Pelipper (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (PEL-ih-per): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

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

Explore

Water-type Pokémon · Flying-type Pokémon · Water/Flying weaknesses and matchups · Hoenn region guide · Keen Eye ability · Drizzle ability · Rain Dish ability · Compare Pelipper · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 3 Water-type Pokémon · Gen 3 Flying-type Pokémon · Gen 3 Pokémon list · Yellow Pokémon list · Water 1 egg group · Flying egg group · Pokémon that start with P · Bird Pokémon

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