Disclaimer: What? Pokemon belongs to Nintendo? Oh darn.
A/N: Anyone may use any of the ideas in this guide for their own stories. Please credit, though.
Common Name: Articuno, Freezer
Scientific Name: Gelatoriavis haliaeetus
Description: Articuno is a large and beautiful raptor, truly magnificent to see. The feathers of the male are shimmering sky blue, with a cobalt blue, three-pronged crest and streaming tail. The female is much less impressive, with a much shorter tail and a duller, grey-blue coloration. The breast of an Articuno has long white plumes, while the hooked bill and legs are slate gray. They have four toes equipped with long talons, and intense, reddish brown eyes. Articuno males are 11 ½ feet long while females measure 6 feet, the difference being the male's exquisite tail. Both sexes stand 5 ½ feet tall when perched, and have a wingspan of 18 feet.
Range: Articuno were once found all along freshwater and saltwater coastlines in Kanto, but their range today is restricted to the Seafoam Islands.
Habitat: Articuno are coastal birds, and are fond of sea-cliffs and other harsh environments where they can safely nest. They especially prize conifer forests along the coast for the excellent perches they afford.
Call: Male Articuno have a beautiful song, consisting of two held notes. The song can carry long distances over the waves, and is used by males during breeding displays. Females are quieter, but will make a low 'burp' or 'honk' call to keep in touch with her young.
Diet: Articuno are hunters, and ply the waters of Kanto for aquatic prey. They take mostly nonpokemon fish, but may also hunt small pokemon such as Magikarp, Goldeen, and Seel. They capture their prey at the surface with a steep dive, which they then take back to a perch and bone with their hooked beak before eating.
Male Articuno, due to their long tails, are often poorer hunters than females. They are thus are more likely to scavenge to survive.
Life Cycle: Articuno breed in the early spring, when the male displays wildly to any female in sight. Displays consist of song, stooping flights, and much wagging of the extravagant tail. Studies of Articuno in the wild seem to suggest that a longer tail correlates with breeding success, and the males seem to know it. A hovering male will literally shove his tail into the poor female's face!
The female Articuno becomes pregnant and gestates 1-2 chicks inside her body for 10 weeks before giving live birth. The completely-helpless chicks live in a large stick nest on a cliff ledge, and both the male and the female care for the hatchling until the end of summer, when it fledges. After the breeding season, males and females separate, and the male must be attract and display to a female all over again the next year.
Juvenile Articuno often resemble females, but have a mottled dark plumage on their flight feathers. They do not gain the adult crest and tail until they are five years old.
Articuno live about 30 years.
Relationship with Humans: The people of Kanto love Articuno. The beauty and power of these birds is legendary, and the pokemon themselves are often featured in works of art throughout the region. However, the Articuno themselves have not benefited from this popularity, and over harvesting for the battle trade, along with coastal development and the now-outlawed trade in their tail feathers, have reduced wild Articuno to a tiny fraction of their original range.
Unfortunately, Articuno have never bred successfully in captivity, so protecting their last stronghold in the Seafoam Islands is critical. Thankfully, restrictions on capturing have been put into place. Articuno may only be taken during the nonbreeding season, a limited number of permits are available, and only males may be taken. All females seen in captivity are illegally captured, and should be reported!
Articuno were not always treated in such a way. Ancient peoples worshipped Articuno, and considered it the bringer of winter. Interestingly, many myths related to Articuno take place in the mountains, far away from their coastal homes! One possible explanation may be that Articuno were once found along alpine lakes, but it is also possible that people from the coasts traded with inland tribes, and traded myths as well.
Naturalist's Notes: Articuno are capable of causing water to condense out of the air and freeze, using a combination of potently endothermic chemicals sprayed from a throat gland. The shock of the cold is generally enough to startle and frighten away attackers. A trained Articuno can focus the created ice into beams, sprays, etc, but in the wild the ice usually forms as a cloud.