#0145 · Kanto · Generation 1 · legendary

Zapdos

Electric Pokémon · Electric/Flying-type

Zapdos is a Electric/Flying-type Pokémon, the Electric Pokémon, number 145 (#0145) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 1 and comes from the Kanto region. It is 1.6 m tall and weighs 52.6 kg.

Zapdos is the Electric Pokémon, the thunder member of Kanto's legendary birds, which the Pokédex says gains power whenever lightning strikes it. Legend has it that it turns up as the sky darkens and lightning pours down.

How to pronounce Zapdos

Zapdos is pronounced ZAP-dohs. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.

Listen to Zapdos said out loud:

In Japanese it is サンダー (Thunder).

Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.

Lore

Biology

Zapdos is 1.6 m tall and 52.6 kg. Bulbapedia describes a large yellow bird with a long, thin orange beak, a crest of spiked feathers, and wings and tail made of spiky plumes with black feathers underneath. The FireRed Pokédex says it makes crackling and snapping sounds as it flies.

Behaviour

The Pokédex says Zapdos rubs its feathers together to bring down lightning and causes savage storms by flapping its glittering wings. The Silver Pokédex says it shows itself only when a storm cloud splits in two. In the anime it turns furious when Team Rocket tries to capture it.

Habitat

The Ruby Pokédex says it usually lives in thunderclouds, and its habitat category is Rare.

Powers

Zapdos has complete control over electricity, with the Ability Pressure and Static hidden. It learns Thunder Shock, Discharge, Thunder and Zap Cannon, strikes with Drill Peck and powers up with Charge. Base Special Attack 125 makes it a hard-hitting special attacker. Galarian Zapdos, from The Crown Tundra, is a Fighting and Flying type with the Ability Defiant. Its wings have withered until it can barely fly, so it runs instead, and its Thunderous Kick, a move only it can learn, can wreck a dump truck.

Name origin

Zapdos combines 'zap' with the Spanish dos ('two'), as the second of the Kanto birds. The Japanese name is Thunder (サンダー), literally 'thunder'.

Design inspiration

Zapdos looks inspired by the thunderbird of Native American legend, a storm spirit whose wingbeats made thunder. Bulbapedia suggests its looks may borrow from the cream-coloured woodpecker or hummingbirds. The Galarian form looks modelled on ratites such as the kiwi, with the roadrunner and the secretarybird suggested for its running and kicking. These are fan readings.

In the games

Zapdos waits alone in Kanto's Power Plant, a catch players have known since Generation I, and it is the first Legendary Pokémon the player meets in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon. In XD, Greevil's Shadow Zapdos can be snagged. In Scarlet and Violet it arrives by trade or Pokémon HOME, and The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero lets you find it at Poco Path after a Snack from Snacksworth. It is unobtainable in Legends: Z-A.

In the anime

Zapdos debuted in the film 'The Power of One', and in 'As Clear As Crystal' it appears in person to stop Team Rocket stealing a healing crystal. In 'An Electrifying Rage!', Ash battles an enraged Zapdos that Team Rocket tried to capture, until Noivern and Pikachu help calm it down.

Fun facts

• Of all Legendary Pokémon with fixed locations, Zapdos needs the fewest Badges to reach: two, the Boulder Badge plus either the Soul Badge or, in Let's Go, the Cascade Badge.
• Its Japanese name, Thunder, is almost identical to Jolteon's, which only adds a final su (ス).
• In English, Zapdos shares the category Electric Pokémon with Elekid and Electabuzz, though in Japanese Elekid has a different category from the other two.
• In Pokémon Journeys: The Series, its cry is the same as Lunala's.

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

Base stats

• HP: 90
• Attack: 90
• Defense: 85
• Sp. Atk: 125
• Sp. Def: 90
• Speed: 100

Zapdos’s base stat total is 580. Its highest stat is Sp. Atk.

Type matchups

What is Zapdos weak to?

Zapdos takes extra damage from Ice (2×), Rock (2×) moves.

It resists Grass (½×), Fighting (½×), Flying (½×), Bug (½×), Steel (½×).

It is immune to Ground moves.

Evolution

Zapdos does not evolve, and it does not evolve from any other Pokémon.

Forms

• Galarian Zapdos (Galarian form): Fighting/Flying-type, base stat total 580 (HP 90, Attack 125, Defense 90, Sp. Atk 85, Sp. Def 90, Speed 100). Ability: Defiant.

Abilities

• Pressure: Increases the PP cost of moves targetting the Pokémon by one.
• Static (hidden ability): Has a 30% chance of paralyzing attacking Pokémon on contact.

Moves

Moves Zapdos learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet

TM moves (40)

Zapdos can learn 40 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Agility, Protect, Acrobatics, Facade, Aerial Ace, Swift, Air Cutter, Endure, Volt Switch, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, U-turn, Sleep Talk, Electro Ball, Light Screen, Thunder Wave, Rest, Eerie Impulse, Fly, Substitute, Tailwind, Heat Wave, Thunderbolt, Helping Hand, Baton Pass, Electric Terrain, Wild Charge, Giga Impact, Hurricane, Hyper Beam, Brave Bird, Thunder, Tera Blast, Charge, Weather Ball, Dual Wingbeat, Supercell Slam, Metal Sound.

Breeding & training

• Gender: genderless.
• Egg groups: Undiscovered.
• Egg cycles: 80 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 10,240).
• Catch rate: 3 out of 255.
• Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 35.
• Growth rate: Slow (1,250,000 experience points to reach level 100).
• Defeating it gives 3 Sp. Atk effort values.
• Base experience yield: 261.

Pokédex entries

Zapdos is a legendary bird Pokémon. It's said that when Zapdos rubs its feathers together, lightning will fall immediately after. (Shield)

This Pokémon has complete control over electricity. There are tales of Zapdos nesting in the dark depths of pitch-black thunderclouds. (Sword)

This legendary bird Pokémon is said to appear when the sky turns dark and lightning showers down. (Yellow, Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Let’s Go, Eevee!)

Zapdos is a legendary bird Pokémon that has the ability to control electricity. It usually lives in thunderclouds. The Pokémon gains power if it is stricken by lightning bolts. (Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)

A legendary Pokémon that is said to live in thunderclouds. It freely controls lightning bolts. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, Y)

A legendary bird Pokémon that is said to appear from clouds while dropping enormous lightning bolts. (Red, Blue, LeafGreen, X)

Names around the world

Trivia

• Tallest Electric type in Gen 1: 1.6 m.
• Highest HP among Electric types in Gen 1: 90.
• Highest Attack among Electric types in Gen 1: 90, shared with 1 other.
• Highest Sp. Atk among Electric types in Gen 1: 125.
• Highest base stat total among Electric types in Gen 1: 580.
• Highest Sp. Atk among Flying types in Gen 1: 125, shared with 1 other.
• Taller than 77% of all Pokémon (1.6 m).
• Heavier than 68% of all Pokémon (52.6 kg).
• Base stat total 580, ranked #69 of 1,025.
• Its best stat is Sp. Atk, ranked #52 of 1,025.
• One of 5 Pokémon that are both Electric and Flying.
• One of 88 yellow Pokémon.
• Number 145 of 151 Pokémon introduced in Generation 1 (Kanto).
• Can learn 50 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
• Catch rate 3: about 0.4% per Poké Ball at full health.
• Has 1 alternate form.
• Appears in 11 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: Zapdos (Pokémon), Serebii: Zapdos (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
• Pronunciation (ZAP-dohs): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.

Last checked: 19 October 2026. Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.

Explore

Electric-type Pokémon · Flying-type Pokémon · Electric/Flying weaknesses and matchups · Zapdos vs Articuno · Zapdos vs Moltres · Kanto region guide · Pressure ability · Static ability · Compare Zapdos · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves

Browse similar Pokémon

Gen 1 Electric-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Flying-type Pokémon · Gen 1 Pokémon list · Yellow Pokémon list · No Eggs Discovered egg group · Pokémon that start with Z · Bird Pokémon

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