Taillow
Taillow is a Normal/Flying-type Pokémon, the Tiny Swallow Pokémon, number 276 (#0276) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 3 and comes from the Hoenn region. It is 0.3 m tall and weighs 2.3 kg.
Taillow is the Tiny Swallow Pokémon, a small swallow so gutsy that, the Pokédex says, it will stand up to a bigger Skarmory and stay defiant even after a loss.
How to pronounce Taillow
Taillow is pronounced TAY-loh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Taillow said out loud:
In Japanese it is スバメ (Subame).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Taillow is a small swallow with dark blue feathers, a white underside and a pointed red marking running from its chest up to its forehead. It has narrow brown eyes, a short yellow beak, elongated wingtips, black feet with yellow talons and a tail of two sharply pointed feathers. It is 0.3 m tall and weighs 2.3 kg.
Behaviour
Taillow is courageous, but it has a soft side: it cries loudly when hungry, and a young one that has only just left the nest can become lonesome and cry at night. It dislikes cold seasons and migrates in search of warm climates, flying over 300 km (180 miles) a day.
Habitat
Grassland, according to the Pokédex. Taillow does not appear in Scarlet and Violet or Legends: Z-A, and Bulbapedia lists both as unobtainable.
Diet
The Pokédex says it hunts the Wurmple that live in forests.
Powers
Guts raises its Attack by half when it has a status condition, and the hidden Scrappy lets its Normal and Fighting moves hit Ghost Pokémon. It starts with Peck and Growl, learns Quick Attack, Wing Attack, Aerial Ace and Agility, and finishes with Endeavor at level 37 and the heavy-hitting Brave Bird at 41. Its best base stat is Speed, at 85.
Name origin
Taillow may combine 'tail' with 'swallow'. The Japanese name is Subame (スバメ), which may be a corruption of 燕 tsubame, 'swallow'.
Design inspiration
Taillow looks modelled on a swallow, probably the barn swallow or welcome swallow. The green of its Shiny form may echo the violet-green swallow.
Evolution notes
Taillow evolves into Swellow at level 22.
In the games
In Pokémon Colosseum, a Taillow carries Berries to an elderly man in Agate Village daily, and in Pokémon Ranger one belonging to a Ringtown resident must be captured in the Rookie mission. Taillow first appeared in Hoenn in Ruby and Sapphire.
In the anime
Ash's Taillow debuted in 'You Never Can Taillow' as the leader of a flock in Petalburg Woods, and was the first Pokémon Ash caught in Hoenn. Goh caught his own Taillow in 'Serving Up the Flute Cup!' and used it to help catch three Wurmple.
Fun facts
- Taillow and Wingull have exactly the same base stats, with only Attack and Special Attack swapped.
- It is the shortest Flying type introduced in Generation III, going by poke.si's data.
- In the Pokémon Chronicles episode 'We're No Angels!', Team Rocket, whom the villagers mistake for superheroes, helps stop a flock of Taillow from attacking a village's crops.
Base stats
- HP: 40
- Attack: 55
- Defense: 30
- Sp. Atk: 30
- Sp. Def: 30
- Speed: 85
Taillow’s base stat total is 270. Its highest stat is Speed.
Type matchups
What is Taillow weak to?
Taillow 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
How does Taillow evolve?
Taillow evolves into Swellow at level 22.
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 Taillow learns by level up in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peck | Flying | Physical | 35 |
| 1 | Growl | Normal | Status | — |
| 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 |
| 25 | Quick Guard | Fighting | Status | — |
| 29 | Agility | Psychic | Status | — |
| 33 | Air Slash | Flying | Special | 75 |
| 37 | Endeavor | Normal | Physical | — |
| 41 | Brave Bird | Flying | Physical | 120 |
| 45 | Reversal | Fighting | Physical | — |
TM moves (24)
Taillow can learn 24 moves from TMs in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon: Work Up, Toxic, Hidden Power, Sunny Day, Protect, Rain Dance, Roost, Frustration, Return, Double Team, Aerial Ace, Facade, Rest, Attract, Thief, Round, Echoed Voice, Steel Wing, Fly, Swagger, Sleep Talk, U-turn, Substitute, Confide.
Egg moves (13):Boomburst, Brave Bird, Defog, Hurricane, Mirror Move, Pursuit, Rage, Refresh, Roost, Sky Attack, Steel Wing, Supersonic, Whirlwind.
Move tutor moves (6): Defog, Endeavor, Heat Wave, 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: 200 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 1 Speed effort value.
- Base experience yield: 54.
Pokédex entries
Taillow is young - it has only just left its nest. As a result, it sometimes becomes lonesome and cries at night. This Pokémon feeds on Wurmple that live in forests. (Sapphire, Alpha Sapphire)
Taillow courageously stands its ground against foes, however strong they may be. This gutsy Pokémon will remain defiant even after a loss. On the other hand, it cries loudly if it becomes hungry. (Ruby, Omega Ruby)
It dislikes cold seasons. They migrate to other lands in search of warmth, flying over 180 miles a day. (FireRed, LeafGreen, Y)
It has a gutsy spirit that makes it bravely take on tough foes. It flies in search of warm climates. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, X)
When it gets cold, they migrate, flying over 180 miles a day. It hunts for tasty prey. (HeartGold, SoulSilver)
Although it is small, it is very courageous. It will take on a larger Skarmory on an equal footing. However, its will weakens if it becomes hungry. (Emerald)
Names around the world
| Japanese | スバメ |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Subame |
| French | Nirondelle |
| German | Schwalbini |
| Spanish | Taillow |
| Italian | Taillow |
| Korean | 테일로 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 傲骨燕 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 傲骨燕 |
Trivia
- Shortest Flying type in Gen 3: 0.3 m.
- Lowest base stat total among Flying types in Gen 3: 270, shared with 1 other.
- Taller than 4% of all Pokémon (0.3 m).
- Heavier than 8% of all Pokémon (2.3 kg).
- Base stat total 270, ranked #935 of 1,025.
- One of 27 Pokémon that are both Normal and Flying.
- One of 170 blue Pokémon.
- Number 25 of 135 Pokémon introduced in Generation 3 (Hoenn).
- Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
- Can learn 48 different moves in Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon.
- Catch rate 200: about 26.1% 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: Taillow (Pokémon), Serebii: Taillow (Sword/Shield Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (TAY-loh): 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 Taillow · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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