Is Pidgey Good in HeartGold & SoulSilver Playthrough?
Route 29 from the very first patch of grass. Normal/Flying with AbilityKeen Eye. HGSS runs 16 gyms across two regions, and Pidgey's line is available for all of them. The longest companion option in any Pokemon game.
Pidgey trades roughly evenly with Falkner's team.
Pidgey has the type edge here and should clean up Bugsy's team.
Pidgey trades roughly evenly with Whitney's team.
Pidgeotto trades roughly evenly with Morty's team.
Pidgeotto has the type edge here and should clean up Chuck's team.
Jasmine's team hits Pidgeotto's weaknesses hard.
Pidgeotto trades roughly evenly with Pryce's team.
Pidgeot has the type edge here and should clean up Clair's team.
Brock's team hits Pidgeot's weaknesses hard.
Pidgeot has the type edge here and should clean up Misty's team.
Pidgeot trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.
Pidgeot resists most of Erika's coverage and hits back hard.
Pidgeot has the type edge here and should clean up Janine's team.
Pidgeot has the type edge here and should clean up Sabrina's team.
Pidgeot trades roughly evenly with Blaine's team.
Pidgeot trades roughly evenly with Blue's team.
Pidgeot has the type edge here and should clean up Will's team.
Pidgeot has the type edge here and should clean up Koga's team.
Pidgeot has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Pidgeot has the type edge here and should clean up Karen's team.
Pidgeot trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.
Catchable
Catch Pidgey on Route 29 (walking, Lv 2-4, common).
Recommended Moves
- After Bugsy
- TM89BugU-turnPower 70Accuracy 100%PP 20Prize for defeating Bugsy
- After Morty
- TM88FlyingPluckPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Route 40
- After Chuck
- HM02FlyingFlyPower 135Accuracy 95%PP 15From Chuck's wife outside Cianwood Gym
- LV 33FlyingWing AttackPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 35
- After Jasmine
- TM43NormalSecret PowerPower 105Accuracy 100%PP 20Lake of Rage
- TM10NormalHidden PowerPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 15Lake of Rage
- After Clair
- TM40FlyingAerial AcePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Mt. Mortar
- LV 49FlyingAir SlashPower 113Accuracy 95%PP 20
Evolve Pidgey to Pidgeotto
Pidgey evolves into Pidgeotto at Level 18. Your Pidgey should hit Level 18 before you reach Morty, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- After Bugsy
- TM89BugU-turnPower 70Accuracy 100%PP 20Prize for defeating Bugsy
- After Morty
- TM88FlyingPluckPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Route 40
- After Chuck
- HM02FlyingFlyPower 135Accuracy 95%PP 15From Chuck's wife outside Cianwood Gym
- After Jasmine
- TM43NormalSecret PowerPower 105Accuracy 100%PP 20Lake of Rage
- TM10NormalHidden PowerPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 15Lake of Rage
- LV 37FlyingWing AttackPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 35
- After Clair
- TM40FlyingAerial AcePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Mt. Mortar
- LV 57FlyingAir SlashPower 113Accuracy 95%PP 20
Evolve Pidgeotto to Pidgeot
Pidgeotto evolves into Pidgeot at Level 36. Your Pidgeotto should hit Level 36 before you reach Clair, at typical leveling pace.
Recommended Moves
- After Bugsy
- TM15NormalHyper BeamPower 225Accuracy 90%PP 5Goldenrod Department Store
- After Morty
- TM88FlyingPluckPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Route 40
- After Chuck
- HM02FlyingFlyPower 135Accuracy 95%PP 15From Chuck's wife outside Cianwood Gym
- After Jasmine
- TM43NormalSecret PowerPower 105Accuracy 100%PP 20Lake of Rage
- TM10NormalHidden PowerPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 15Lake of Rage
- LV 38FlyingWing AttackPower 90Accuracy 100%PP 35
- After Clair
- TM40FlyingAerial AcePower 90Accuracy 100%PP 20Mt. Mortar
- LV 62FlyingAir SlashPower 113Accuracy 95%PP 20
How to Get Pidgey in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Pidgey is everywhere. With forty-four encounters across fourteen locations spanning both Johto and Kanto, it is common on nearly every early route in the morning and day. You will trip over one long before you ever go looking.
14 locations to catch Pidgey
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Badge 1
Badge 2
Badge 3
Badge 4
Badge 5
Badge 6
Badge 7
Badge 8Where To Catch Pidgey in HGSS
Pidgey is where the line starts, caught through walking encounters at Lv. 2-17. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.
- Step 1Pidgey ✓Route 37Lv.13-15GrassHeartGoldRate 60%MorningRoute 5Lv.13-15GrassHeartGoldRate 60%Morning/dayRoute 29Lv.2-4GrassRate 55%Morning/dayRoute 30Lv.2-4GrassHeartGoldRate 50%DayRoute 30Lv.3-4GrassSoulSilverRate 50%DayRoute 2 - NorthLv.3-5GrassHeartGoldRate 50%DayRoute 25Lv.8GrassRate 50%DayRoute 37Lv.13-15GrassRate 50%DayRoute 6Lv.13-14GrassHeartGoldRate 50%Morning/dayRoute 1Lv.2-4GrassRate 45%Morning/dayRoute 30Lv.2-4GrassHeartGoldRate 40%MorningRoute 2 - NorthLv.3-7GrassSoulSilverRate 40%DayRoute 2 - SouthLv.3-8GrassHeartGoldRate 40%DayRoute 2 - SouthLv.3-7GrassSoulSilverRate 40%DayRoute 5Lv.13-15GrassSoulSilverRate 40%Morning/dayRoute 31Lv.3GrassHeartGoldRate 30%Morning/dayRoute 2 - NorthLv.3GrassHeartGoldRate 30%MorningRoute 2 - SouthLv.3GrassHeartGoldRate 30%MorningRoute 31Lv.4GrassSoulSilverRate 30%DayRoute 25Lv.8GrassRate 30%MorningRoute 6Lv.13GrassSoulSilverRate 30%Morning/daySafari Zone - ForestLv.15-17FloorRate 30%Morning/dayRoute 36Lv.12-15GrassSoulSilverRate 25%MorningRoute 36Lv.13-15GrassHeartGoldRate 25%MorningRoute 2 - NorthLv.3GrassSoulSilverRate 20%MorningRoute 2 - SouthLv.3GrassSoulSilverRate 20%MorningNational ParkLv.10-14FloorRate 20%MorningRoute 36Lv.13GrassRate 20%DayRoute 37Lv.15GrassSoulSilverRate 20%MorningViridian ForestLv.3-7GrassRate 15%DayNational ParkLv.12-14FloorRate 15%DayViridian ForestLv.3GrassRate 10%MorningRoute 30Lv.4GrassSoulSilverRate 10%MorningRoute 31Lv.5GrassSoulSilverRate 10%MorningRoute 35Lv.14GrassRate 5%Morning/day
- Step 2Catch or Evolve into PidgeottoRoute 2 - NorthLv.7-10GrassHeartGoldRate 9%DayRoute 2 - SouthLv.7-10GrassHeartGoldRate 9%DayViridian ForestLv.7GrassRate 9%DayRoute 2 - NorthLv.7GrassHeartGoldRate 5%MorningRoute 2 - NorthLv.7GrassSoulSilverRate 5%DayRoute 2 - SouthLv.7GrassHeartGoldRate 5%MorningRoute 2 - SouthLv.7GrassSoulSilverRate 5%DayRoute 25Lv.10GrassRate 5%Morning/dayRoute 37Lv.15GrassRate 5%DayViridian ForestLv.7GrassRate 4%MorningRoute 8Lv.17-19GrassHeartGoldRate 65%Morning/dayRoute 8Lv.17-19GrassSoulSilverRate 35%Morning/dayRoute 43Lv.17GrassRate 25%MorningRoute 43Lv.17GrassRate 20%DayRoute 13Lv.25GrassRate 20%Morning/dayRoute 14Lv.25GrassRate 20%Morning/dayRoute 15Lv.25GrassRate 20%Morning/dayor evolve from Pidgey (Step 1)
- Step 3Evolve into Pidgeot
Not landing the catch? Calculate Pidgey catch rates for HeartGold & SoulSilver by ball, status, and HP.
How to Get Shiny Pidgey in HeartGold & SoulSilver
Pidgey flocks across Route 1, Route 2, and Route 25, but a shiny hatches faster from Masuda breeding with a foreign parent. Compare Shiny Pidgey odds across every game
HeartGold & SoulSilver Shiny Pidgey Calculator
2 MethodsThe best route is Masuda Method, about 1 in 1,639 on each try.
Masuda Method: Breed with a parent from a different-language game. Works on any breedable line.
Full Odds: Walk through grass, surf, or fish. Every encounter is its own independent shiny roll.
How many you have done, or plan to do.
| Chance | Encounters | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 10%lucky few | 173-- | -- |
| 25%one in four | 472-- | -- |
| 50%coin flip | 1,136-- | -- |
| 90%very likely | 3,773-- | -- |
Time assumes -- at your pace and does not change your shiny odds.
How is this calculated?
Every encounter has the same shiny chance, the Shiny Odds Per Try shown above. Each one is a separate roll that does not care how many you have already done, so the more you hunt, the higher your overall chance of at least one shiny. The formula below turns your odds and your number of tries into that combined chance.
chance after N tries = 1 − (1 − p)^N, where p = 1 / odds per try
Example at 1 in 8,192 (classic full odds): about 864 encounters for a 10 percent chance, 5,678 for 50 percent, and 18,862 for 90 percent.
The table above flips that around: it shows how many encounters it takes to reach a 10, 25, 50, and 90 percent chance at your current odds. Turning on boosts like the Shiny Charm, sandwiches, or chains improves your odds, so the encounter numbers drop.
These are estimates, not promises. Most games have no pity counter, meaning no guaranteed shiny no matter how many you hunt, so even Very Likely is not guaranteed: some hunters find one early, others go well past that point.
Want exact numbers for your session? Calculate your shiny odds in HeartGold & SoulSilver with Pidgey preloaded.
Pidgey Weakness
Pidgey is weak to Electric, Ice, and Rock. On the flip side, it's immune to Ground and Ghost-type moves entirely.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Electric, Ice, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground, Ghost |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
What is Pidgey Weak Against
Good
Pidgey Evolutions
Three stages ahead. Pidgey grows into Pidgeotto, then pushes on to Pidgeot. Check the evolution methods below. For breeding, quick to hatch with a decent partner pool via one egg group. Evolving adds up to 228 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Pidgey easily with 31 breeding partners from the Flying egg group. Pass egg moves like Air Cutter, Air Slash, Brave Bird and 5 more to offspring.
HGSS Pidgey Best Moveset
Normal/Flying at stats below 56 across the board. AbilityKeen Eye prevents accuracy drops that were never the problem. The moveset is filler until Pidgeot provides the Attack and Speed that matter.
Best Build
Pidgey best EVs are HP
Bulky Support Moveset
- Defog
- Frustration
- Brave Bird
- Air Slash
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Breeding opens up real options for Pidgey. Air Cutter and Air Slash come exclusively from egg moves, and they're worth the effort. The rest of the kit covers basics through Brave Bird and Fly and coverage across 7 types.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
19 of 20 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
It usually hides in tall grass. Because it dislikes fighting, it protects itself by kicking up sand.
Common in grassy areas and forests, it is very docile and will chase off enemies by flapping up sand.
Pidgey HeartGold & SoulSilver Guide
- How do I catch Pidgey in the HeartGold & SoulSilver Safari Zone?
See the Locations section above for where to find Pidgey in HeartGold & SoulSilver.
Safari rules: You can only use Safari Balls. No battling. Two tactical items shift the catch/flee trade-off:
- Throw bait to keep Pidgey from fleeing (flee rate cut to 1/4) but it becomes harder to catch (catch factor halved).
- Throw a rock to make Pidgey easier to catch (catch factor doubled) but it flees twice as often.
- Each effect lasts 2-6 random turns; throwing one cancels the other.
For HeartGold & SoulSilver, you can run Pidgey through the first few routes without issues. 251 BST won't carry you far though. Get it to Pidgeotto as fast as you can.
Game Availability
One of the original 151, Pidgey has appeared in 19 games: most mainline games. From Red & Blue through the latest titles, it's rarely been left out of a regional Pokedex.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7Let's Go
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves
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