#0629 · Unova · Generation 5

Vullaby

Diapered Pokémon · Dark/Flying-type

Vullaby is a Dark/Flying-type Pokémon, the Diapered Pokémon, number 629 (#0629) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 5 and comes from the Unova region. It is 0.5 m tall and weighs 9 kg.

Vullaby is the Diapered Pokémon, a plump baby vulture that wears a bone as a nappy. It cannot fly yet, so it hops about dreaming of wide open skies and squabbling over the comfiest bones.

How to pronounce Vullaby

Vullaby is pronounced VUL-uh-by. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Vullaby said out loud:

In Japanese it is バルチャイ (Valchai).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Vullaby is 0.5 m tall and 9 kg, a round little vulture with dark grey feathers, a bare pink head with a single crest, a fluffy collar and stumpy wings. It protects its rear with a bone worn like a nappy, which Mandibuzz often finds for it. As it grows it has to replace the bone, and the older ones get passed down to smaller Vullaby.

Behaviour

Vullaby has a healthy appetite, which shows in sudden growth spurts, and it hops about frisky and playful. It pursues weak Pokémon, according to the White Pokédex, and when evolution is near, it throws away its old bones.

Habitat

The Pokédex gives no habitat, but Mandibuzz looks after lost Vullaby until they are ready to leave the nest. In Scarlet and Violet, wild Vullaby live in Kitakami's deserts, rocky ground and grass and in the Terarium's prairie.

Powers

Its Abilities are Big Pecks, which stops its Defense being lowered, and Overcoat, which protects it from weather damage; Weak Armor is hidden. It learns Knock Off, Air Slash, Dark Pulse and Nasty Plot. Its stats are even, with base Defense 75 its best.

Name origin

Vullaby may combine 'vulture' with 'lullaby' or 'baby'. The Japanese name is Valchai (バルチャイ), which may mix 'vulture' and 'child'.

Design inspiration

James Turner designed Vullaby and Mandibuzz. Bulbapedia reads Vullaby as a vulture chick, with its nappy-like bone and frequent growth spurts echoing human babies. Ken Sugimori said in Nintendo Dream interviews that the pair were added late in the development of Black and White, and that although the team felt there were already too many bird Pokémon, their designs were approved.

Evolution notes

Vullaby evolves into Mandibuzz at level 54.

In the games

Vullaby is a Black-version exclusive in Black and White, found on Routes 10 and 11 and Victory Road. In Scarlet and Violet it arrives with the DLC, and the base games only give it by trade or transfer. Bulbapedia lists it as unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

A Vullaby at Layla's daycare debuted in 'Unrest at the Nursery!', where she bickered with Rufflet until he rescued her from three Amoonguss.

Fun facts

• Although the Pokédex says its wings are too small to fly, Vullaby can learn Fly and Brave Bird in Scarlet and Violet.
• It is the lightest Dark type introduced in Generation V.
• In Pokémon Adventures, a flock of Vullaby threatens Meloetta at Café Sonata until White and Bianca step in, and White then catches one and nicknames her Barbara.

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

Base stats

• HP: 70
• Attack: 55
• Defense: 75
• Sp. Atk: 45
• Sp. Def: 65
• Speed: 60

Vullaby’s base stat total is 370. Its highest stat is Defense.

Type matchups

What is Vullaby weak to?

Vullaby takes extra damage from Electric (2×), Ice (2×), Rock (2×), Fairy (2×) moves.

It resists Grass (½×), Ghost (½×), Dark (½×).

It is immune to Ground, Psychic moves.

Evolution

How does Vullaby evolve?

Vullaby evolves into Mandibuzz at level 54.

The whole family: Vullaby, Mandibuzz.

Abilities

• Big Pecks: Protects against Defense drops.
• Overcoat: Protects against damage from weather.
• Weak Armor (hidden ability): Raises Speed and lowers Defense by one stage each upon being hit by a physical move.

Moves

Moves Vullaby learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (39)

Vullaby can learn 39 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Fake Tears, Scary Face, Protect, Thief, Facade, Snarl, Swift, Rock Tomb, Air Cutter, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, U-turn, Foul Play, Air Slash, Sleep Talk, Rest, Taunt, Dark Pulse, Fly, Substitute, Iron Defense, Tailwind, Shadow Ball, Heat Wave, Nasty Plot, Brave Bird, Tera Blast, Toxic, Spite, Knock Off, Uproar, Dual Wingbeat, Lash Out, Psych Up, Double-Edge, Feather Dance, Throat Chop.

Egg moves (3):Mean Look, Roost, Toxic.

Breeding & training

• Gender: 0% male, 100% female.
• Egg groups: Flying.
• Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
• Catch rate: 190 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 35.
• Growth rate: Slow (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 1 Defense effort value.
• Base experience yield: 74.

Pokédex entries

Vullaby grow quickly. Bones that have gotten too small for older Vullaby to wear often get passed down to younger ones in the nest. (Shield)

It wears a bone to protect its rear. It often squabbles with others of its kind over particularly comfy bones. (Sword)

Its healthy appetite leads to visible growth spurts. It often has to replace the bones it wears as its size increases. (Ultra Moon)

Mandibuzz gives it the bones it wears. Vullaby's wings are short, so it can't fly yet, but it jumps around, dreaming of wide open skies. (Ultra Sun)

It can't fly yet and must wait until its wings have developed more. Since it's still at a playful age, it hops around friskily. (Moon)

It protects its plump posterior with the bones of prey it has consumed. As it grows, it replaces the bones. (Sun)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Lightest Dark type in Gen 5: 9 kg.
• Taller than 19% of all Pokémon (0.5 m).
• Heavier than 26% of all Pokémon (9 kg).
• Base stat total 370, ranked #669 of 1,025.
• One of 7 Pokémon that are both Dark and Flying.
• One of 147 brown Pokémon.
• Number 136 of 156 Pokémon introduced in Generation 5 (Unova).
• Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
• Can learn 48 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 190: about 24.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Appears in 9 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: Vullaby (Pokémon), Serebii: Vullaby (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (VUL-uh-by): 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

Dark-type Pokémon · Flying-type Pokémon · Dark/Flying weaknesses and matchups · Unova region guide · Big Pecks ability · Overcoat ability · Weak Armor ability · Compare Vullaby · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 5 Dark-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Flying-type Pokémon · Gen 5 Pokémon list · Brown Pokémon list · Flying egg group · Pokémon that start with V · Bird Pokémon

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