#021: Spearow
Unusually, Spearow prefer grasslands to forests, mainly because it takes a lot of energy for their tiny wings to carry them to the treetops. Though distance is not their strong suit, they are fast, precise fliers and excel at 'hawking', a hunting technique involving swooping from a perch, catching bugs 'on the wing', and then returning to their original spot.
To avoid becoming easy prey for the ambush predator Ekans, Spearow often take advantage of another plains-dweller. Perched on a Tauros' back, a Spearow can hunt directly in front of the beast, safe in the knowledge that any nearby Ekans will be fleeing for fear of falling under those trampling hooves. Not only this, the disturbance causes bug pokemon to break cover, making the Spearow's hunt even easier. The technique is not without risk, however, for Tauros are temperamental pokemon, prone to spontaneous rages. A sudden charge at the wrong moment and the Spearow may be crushed underfoot.
In days of yore, Spearow were hailed as the fierce children of the lightning god Zapdos, and many believe they provide protection during storms. In truth they appear to have no more affinity with electricity than their more docile Pidgey cousins. It is likely that Spearow's early access to the Mirror Move ability, its bad habit of disregarding type matchups once the red mist descends, and its close proximity to Pikachu habitats lie behind the origins of this myth.