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What animal do you think Pidgey was based on?

what was Pidgey created after?

  • Female Cardinal

    Votes: 3 7.3%
  • Pigeon

    Votes: 36 87.8%
  • Hawk

    Votes: 2 4.9%
  • Owl?

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    41

Yusshin

♪ Yggdrasil ♪
2,414
Posts
14
Years
I actually think it looks like a finch.

Pigeons don't have such ruffled feathers, and they have sleek beaks and small heads. Pidgey is a bit different; a finch has a better resemblance:

Spoiler:


Spoiler:


Though its name definitely derives from "pigeon", but its short wings, puffy body, and small size are more finch-like. Look at its beak, too. Blocky and curved; not sleek and curved like the pigeon's.
 

Conan Edogawa

One Truth Prevails
1,061
Posts
15
Years
It's obviously based on a raccoon, I have no idea where you guys are getting this 'bird' nonsense. :\

Either that or this:
fringehead_peter-mcguinness.jpg

But honestly I think it's based off sparrow and finches. The coloration and body shape are similar on both Pidgey and the two species mentioned.
 

Porygon-Z

Silph Agent
345
Posts
14
Years
  • Seen Aug 17, 2010
I actually think it looks like a finch.

Pigeons don't have such ruffled feathers, and they have sleek beaks and small heads. Pidgey is a bit different; a finch has a better resemblance:

Spoiler:


Spoiler:


Though its name definitely derives from "pigeon", but its short wings, puffy body, and small size are more finch-like. Look at its beak, too. Blocky and curved; not sleek and curved like the pigeon's.


I agree with you!
Everyone who is saying pigeon needs to take a good look at a pigeon.
Just because it's called pidgey doesn't mean it's a pigeon.
I mean Kangaskahn aint exactly a kangaroo is it.

Fearow is clearly meant to be some kind of buzzard

Doduo and Dodrio are more like ostriches than Do-Do birds.

And out of pysduck and farfetch'd which do you think looks more like a duck?

It's probably just becuase finchey, fincheyotto and fincheyot didn't have as nice a ring to them.
 
Last edited:
1
Posts
7
Years
  • Age 38
  • Seen Mar 13, 2019
Guys. Guys. Guys. Pidgey is absolutely modled after a Carolina Wren. They look exactly alike and Pidgey is the "small bird pokemon" but Carolina Wren are like one of the smallest birds out there. (Besides like, a humming bird or something.)
 

Absolitetion

Deemed to be a demon, but an angel inside.
916
Posts
7
Years
Reviving a 7 years old topic? All right, then :P

You know, Pidgey's origin is fairly easy to find.
Such info is found at Bulbapedia (can't tell if you could 7 years ago, I've been using BP for 2 years only or so):

Anatomically, Pidgey resembles a Cedar waxwing or sparrow more than it does a pigeon. However, there have been some references to Pidgey Mail, alluding to homing pigeons. Its category, "tiny bird," added to the sound of the end of its name, could suggest that Pidgey is also based on a chickadee. However, it and its evolutions seem to have more traits related to ospreys than pigeons or chickadees.
 
37,467
Posts
16
Years
  • Age 34
  • Seen Apr 19, 2024
Carolina Wren! You're right, it really really looks like a Pidgey. Not sure about it's evos though.

Also, 7 years or not, there's no existing topic discussing what inspired Pidgey's design, so let's keep this open (:
 
5,285
Posts
14
Years
  • Age 29
  • Seen Apr 24, 2024
I always assumed the Japanese have different coloured pigeons to the grey urban terrors we get the in the UK and I'm pretty sure I was in the US as well. Although maybe they just changed the colours because if they went full Pidove in Gen I it would have looked awful in black and white graphics.

Can't believe it never occurred to me that a Carolina Wren looked like Pidgey though! Definitely saw a few of them last year.
 
50,218
Posts
13
Years
I figured I'd consult le Bulbapedia to find a definite answer to this question, and if you look under Origin on Pidgey's page there, it says Pidgey seems to be based on a cross between a sparrow and a Cedar waxwing. Its Pokedex classification of Tiny Bird Pokemon could also suggest being based on a chickadee.

Pidgeotto and Pidgeot do seem to have traits relating more to the osprey than the other birds mentioned here.

So, in a nutshell, Pidgey's evolution line is based on a lot of birds all incorporated into one simple design.
 
5,285
Posts
14
Years
  • Age 29
  • Seen Apr 24, 2024
So, in a nutshell, Pidgey's evolution line is based on a lot of birds all incorporated into one simple design.

Makes sense I guess - they had no idea pokémon would go past that first generation, why would they limit themselves in inspiration? It's a pretty great design to be honest, unlike Pidove which I like less the further it evolves, I think Pidgey's line peaks at Pidgeotto, but Pidgeot is cool too.
 

LuminousWarrior

Knight In Battle Scarred Armour
75
Posts
7
Years
I always thought it was basically the most generic bird they could make. Less of a specific bird and more the concept of "bird" distilled into a physical form. The most "bird" bird is a pigeon, so they named it Pidgey. It's Japanese name, Poppo, comes from the sound a pigeon makes, which it Japan is "poppoppo".
 
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