Introduced in generation four, with the Pokemon Diamond and Pearl games, Starly is a dual type normal and flying Pokemon. It is the base evolution of its three stage evolution line and evolves into Staravia, which evolves into Staraptor once they reach the level thresholds. Starly is classified by the Pokedex as the “Starling Pokemon” which may be a reference to its general design. This guide will showcase Starly’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Starly.
About Starly
As a generation four Pokemon, Starly first appeared in the Diamond and Pearl season of the anime with the episode Two Degrees of Separation!. In this episode, Ash captures a Starly to continue the tradition of a flying type Pokemon being caught. The Pokedex states that Starly will gather together in large numbers, and while they are small, they can flap their wings with great power.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Series: Diamond and Pearl Two Degrees of Separation! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Diamond and Pearl |
| Region | Sinnoh |
| Evolution | Final evolution of Murkrow, not known to evolve into any other Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | 14 |
| 2nd Evo level | 34 |
| Pokedex Entry | Because they are weak individually, they form groups. However, they bicker if the group grows too big. |
Starly Base Stats
| HP | 40 |
| ATTACK | 55 |
| DEFENCE | 30 |
| SP. ATTACK | 30 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 30 |
| SPEED | 60 |
| TOTAL | 245 |
Appearance
Starly is a black and white Pokemon that resembles a bird while most of its body is black, the area around its face is white, and it has an orange beak. The white markings on its face change between the genders and the female Starly has a smaller marking. It has two black ruffled wings that need to be flapped often to keep its body up. There is a ruffled three feathered tail feather at Starly’s base. Starly is a small Pokemon at only 1 foot, or 0.3 meters, tall.
Behavior
While the Pokedex mentions that Starly can have some power in its flap, they are also inconspicuous when they are alone. As a result, Starly tend to gather in large groups to protect itself. The group can often get into disagreements and individuals can be seen fighting amongst each other often. Starly has a harsh cry and it can be annoying to hear a large group of Starly nearby.
Strengths and Weaknesses
As the base evolution Pokemon of its evolution line, Starly is a weak Pokemon. It has a decent speed stat and an okay physical attack, but the rest of its statline is below average. Starly can have a difficult time in battle if it is not being used offensively and thus it is best to play towards Starly’s strengths. As a dual type normal and flying Pokemon, Starly takes 2x damage from rock, electric, and ice type moves. It is immune to ghost and ground type moves, and resistant to bug and grass type moves.
Best Moveset
In competitive play, Starly is typically reserved for the LC (Little Cup) format. In this format, Starly only has to face other base evolution Pokemon, making its statline seem much more viable. With the Reckless ability increasing Starly’s recoil or crash damage moves and Choice Scarf increasing Starly’s speed, it can be a fearsome Pokemon. Consider running Brave Bird, Double-Edge, U-Turn, and Hidden Power Grass/Steel Wing. This set is aimed at giving you the most coverage of your opponent’s potential Pokemon types. It also comes with the ability to switch out of bad matchups efficiently. Simply select the move that will deal the most damage to your opponent’s Pokemon.
| Brave Bird | Double-Edge |
| U-Turn | Hidden Power Grass/Steel Wing |
How to Catch Starly in Pokemon Go?
If you would like to obtain a Starly in Pokemon Go, there are a few different ways of doing so. As the base evolution of its evolution line, Starly is more common to encounter than its evolutionary relatives. You can find Starly spawning in the wild, at a boosted rate, near farms, fields, forests, parks, playgrounds, and countryside areas. Starly has also hatched from 2 km eggs but while Starly and Staravia have not been raid bosses, Staraptor has been a tier three raid boss at Pokemon Gyms. To evolve Starly into Staravia you will need 25 candies and then you’ll need another 100 candies to evolve Staravia into Staraptor.
Trivia
- Starly is tied with Wingull, Pikipek, Taillow, Ledyba, Hoothoot, and Spearow for the lowest base defense stat of all the flying type Pokemon in the franchise.
- The inspiration for Starly’s design is likely based on the white-cheeked starling.
- The name Starly is derived from starling.
FAQ
What bird is Starly based on?
The closest real life connection to Starly are starlings. The similarities in their name lend to the connection, but the white-cheeked starling also shares similar features to Starly. Starly’s design reflecting real life is common to see in Pokemon design and many elements of the Pokemon universe mirror real life.
How do you evolve Starly?
Starly will evolve naturally as long as you level it up. Starly will evolve into Staravia once it reaches level 14. Staravia will evolve into Staraptor once it reaches level 34. There are no unique conditions to fulfill with this evolution line and they will evolve as long as you reach the level thresholds. After Starly finally evolves into a Staraptor, you can move on to collecting other Pokemon.
Is Starly a good Pokemon?
Starly is geared to be an offensive Pokemon and as long as you build it to function aggressively it can succeed in battle. Use a held item that boosts its offensive capability and try to find a Starly with an ability that helps it perform aggressively. It is a straightforward plan and while it can be predictable, you will need an aggressive Pokemon to help you get through the game.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Starling Pokemon”. While Starly’s impact on competitive play is limited to a unique format, it can still be a formidable Pokemon. While its statlines are not the strongest, it can be simple to deal significant damage with Starly. Reserve a slot on your team for Starly if you want an aggressive normal and flying type Pokemon.
