Swellow
Swellow is a Normal/Flying-type Pokémon, the Swallow Pokémon, number 277 (#0277) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 0.7 m tall and weighs 19.8 kg.
Swellow is the Swallow Pokémon. It takes such pride in its glossy wings that two of them will happily clean each other's, but when it spots prey it dives from far above, and the Pokédex says it never misses.
How to pronounce Swellow
Swellow is pronounced SWEL-oh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Swellow said out loud:
In Japanese it is オオスバメ (Ohsubame).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Swellow is a large dark blue swallow, 0.7 m tall and 19.8 kg, with a red breast and face split by a blue stripe, a white underside and a crest of feathers sweeping back from its head. It has tiny narrow eyes, a sharp yellow beak, red feet with black talons and wings that taper to a sharp point. Its two long, red-tipped tail feathers stand straight when it is healthy, the Pokédex says.
Behaviour
Swellow circles high in the sky in graceful arcs, looking for prey and for warm lands. Once it spots a meal it dives at a steep angle and holds it in its clawed feet.
Habitat
Grassland, according to the Pokédex, and Bulbapedia says it scans for warm meadows from the air. Swellow does not appear in Scarlet and Violet or Legends: Z-A, and Bulbapedia lists both as unobtainable.
Diet
Bulbapedia says it preys on Wurmple, though its Pokédex entries mention only prey in general.
Powers
Guts raises its Attack with a status condition, and the hidden Scrappy lets Normal and Fighting moves hit Ghosts. It strikes with Aerial Ace, Wing Attack, Air Slash and Brave Bird, which it learns again at level 51. Base Attack is 85 and Special Attack 75.
Name origin
Swellow may combine 'swell' (excellent, or to grow larger) with 'swallow'. The Japanese name is Ohsubame (オオスバメ), possibly from 大燕 ōtsubame, 'large swallow'.
Design inspiration
Swellow looks modelled on a swallow, with a crest like a treeswift's and a diving style that recalls falcons. Its twin tail feathers recall a pair of katana, and Aerial Ace's Japanese name, Swallow Return, echoes a sword technique. These are fan readings.
Evolution notes
Swellow is the final stage, evolving from Taillow at level 22.
In the games
Swellow is a member of Team Tasty in Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness, where its teammate Wurmple is scared it will be eaten. It first appeared in Hoenn in Ruby and Sapphire.
In the anime
Swellow debuted in 'Candid Camerupt!', where Vito from the Winstrate household used it as a secret guardian for his relatives. Ash's Taillow evolved into one in 'That's Just Swellow' in the last round of the Crossgate PokéRinger contest.
Fun facts
- In poke.si's data its base Speed of 125 is the highest of any Normal type, leaving out alternate forms such as Mega Evolutions.
- In 'Sky High Gym Battle!', Winona's Shiny Swellow beat Ash's Grovyle but was then beaten by Ash's own Swellow.
- In the short 'Flying in the Air', Hoopa summons Swellow and other Flying Pokémon to make wind, but their combined Gust blasts Ash and Pikachu away.
Base stats
- HP: 60
- Attack: 85
- Defense: 60
- Sp. Atk: 75
- Sp. Def: 50
- Speed: 125
Swellow’s base stat total is 455. Its highest stat is Speed.
Type matchups
What is Swellow weak to?
Swellow takes extra damage from Electric (2×), Ice (2×), Rock (2×) moves.
It resists Grass (½×), Bug (½×).
It is immune to Ground, Ghost moves.
Evolution
What does Swellow evolve from?
Swellow evolves from Taillow at level 22.
Swellow is the final stage of its evolution family.
The whole family: Taillow, Swellow.
Abilities
- Guts: Increases Attack to 1.5× with a major status ailment.
- Scrappy (hidden ability): Lets the Pokémon's Normal and Fighting moves hit Ghost Pokémon.
Moves
Moves Swellow learns by level up in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brave Bird | Flying | Physical | 120 |
| 1 | Air Slash | Flying | Special | 75 |
| 1 | Pluck | Flying | Physical | 60 |
| 1 | Peck | Flying | Physical | 35 |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — |
| 1 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — |
| 1 | Quick Attack | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 5 | Focus Energy | Normal | Status | — |
| 9 | Quick Attack | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 13 | Wing Attack | Flying | Physical | 60 |
| 17 | Double Team | Normal | Status | — |
| 21 | Aerial Ace | Flying | Physical | 60 |
| 27 | Quick Guard | Fighting | Status | — |
| 33 | Agility | Psychic | Status | — |
| 39 | Air Slash | Flying | Special | 75 |
| 45 | Endeavor | Normal | Physical | — |
| 51 | Brave Bird | Flying | Physical | 120 |
| 57 | Reversal | Fighting | Physical | — |
TM moves (26)
Swellow can learn 26 moves from TMs in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon: Work Up, Toxic, Hidden Power, Sunny Day, Hyper Beam, Protect, Rain Dance, Roost, Frustration, Return, Double Team, Aerial Ace, Facade, Rest, Attract, Thief, Round, Echoed Voice, Steel Wing, Giga Impact, Fly, Swagger, Sleep Talk, U-turn, Substitute, Confide.
Egg moves (13), which Taillow can hatch knowing:Boomburst, Brave Bird, Defog, Hurricane, Mirror Move, Pursuit, Rage, Refresh, Roost, Sky Attack, Steel Wing, Supersonic, Whirlwind.
Move tutor moves (7): Defog, Endeavor, Heat Wave, Laser Focus, Sky Attack, Snore, Tailwind.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
- Egg groups: Flying.
- Egg cycles: 15 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 1,920).
- Catch rate: 45 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: 159.
Pokédex entries
Swellow is very conscientious about the upkeep of its glossy wings. Once two Swellow are gathered, they diligently take care of cleaning each other's wings. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)
Swellow flies high above our heads, making graceful arcs in the sky. This Pokémon dives at a steep angle as soon as it spots its prey. The hapless prey is tightly grasped by Swellow's clawed feet, preventing escape. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)
It dives at a steep angle as soon as it spots its prey. It catches its prey with sharp claws. (HeartGold, SoulSilver, Y)
If its two tail feathers are standing at attention, it is proof of good health. It soars elegantly in the sky. (FireRed, LeafGreen, X)
It circles the sky in search of prey. When it spots one, it dives steeply to catch the prey. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2)
A Swellow dives upon prey from far above. It never misses its targets. It takes to the skies in search of lands with a warm climate. (Emerald)
Names around the world
| Japanese | オオスバメ |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Ohsubame |
| French | Hélédelle |
| German | Schwalboss |
| Spanish | Swellow |
| Italian | Swellow |
| Korean | 스왈로 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 大王燕 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 大王燕 |
Trivia
- Fastest Normal type: 125 Speed.
- Fastest Normal type in Gen 3: 125 Speed.
- Taller than 34% of all Pokémon (0.7 m).
- Heavier than 42% of all Pokémon (19.8 kg).
- Base stat total 455, ranked #494 of 1,025.
- Its best stat is Speed, ranked #25 of 1,025.
- One of 27 Pokémon that are both Normal and Flying.
- One of 170 blue Pokémon.
- Number 26 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
- Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
- Can learn 52 different moves in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon.
- Catch rate 45: about 5.9% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 6 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: Swellow (Pokémon), Serebii: Swellow (Sword/Shield Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (SWEL-oh): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.
Last checked: . Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.
Explore
Normal-type Pokémon · Flying-type Pokémon · Normal/Flying weaknesses and matchups · Hoenn region guide · Guts ability · Scrappy ability · Compare Swellow · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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