The Legendary Birds — Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres — are the original Legendary trio, introduced in Pokemon Red and Blue. Each represents an element (Ice, Electric, Fire) and share the same 580 Base Stat Total. All three are Flying type as their secondary.
Articuno — Ice/Flying
The coldest of the birds, Articuno has strong bulk (100 HP, 100 Defense, 125 Sp.Def) and signature move Freeze-Dry, which hits Water types for super-effective damage. Its ability Snow Cloak grants evasion in hail. Competitively, Articuno is the weakest of the three due to Stealth Rock weakness.
Zapdos — Electric/Flying
The strongest of the three in competitive play. Zapdos has 125 Sp.Atk, 100 Speed, and access to Static (paralysis chance on contact) or the Hidden Ability Pressure (doubles PP usage on opponents). Its Electric/Flying typing gives it a ground immunity — rare and valuable in OU play.
Moltres — Fire/Flying
The fiery bird has 125 Sp.Atk like Zapdos but only 90 Speed. Its signature move is Sacred Fire in some forms, with a 50% burn chance. Moltres suffers from Stealth Rock weakness (50% HP on switch-in) but is still a strong wallbreaker in lower tiers.
Galarian Forms
In Pokemon Sword and Shield, the Galarian Birds appeared with completely different typings: Galarian Articuno (Psychic/Flying), Galarian Zapdos (Fighting/Flying), Galarian Moltres (Dark/Flying). Each has unique signature moves and abilities that make them distinct from the originals.
Where to Find Them
In Pokeworld, the Legendary Birds spawn in Kanto-themed Elite Zones with appropriate weather (hail for Articuno, storm for Zapdos, sun for Moltres).