How to catch Galarian Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres in Pokémon Sword and Shield

Pokémon Sword and Shield’s Crown Tundra expansion brings back Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres with a Galarian twist.

The three Legendary birds return to the series with Galarian forms and new typings.

To catch the birds, you’ll need to head south from the Giant’s Bed to the large glowing tree in Dyna Tree Hill. Once you approach the tree, the three birds will arrive and begin to fight among themselves. They’ll notice you standing there and all fly off to different areas for you to find and catch.

All the birds will be level 70 when you encounter them. They’ll also be able to be spotted from afar. While normally Pokémon only load in once you approach the area, you’ll be able to see the birds from quite far away.

All three of the initial areas you find the birds in will be static, so we recommend saving before you take them on. As Legendary Pokémon, they can be tricky to catch and you won’t want to have to hunt them down repeatedly if things go wrong.

Where to find Galarian Articuno

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Galarian Articuno will roam around the Wild Area in the Crown Tundra. It’ll be sitting on a cliff in Snowslide Slope. Once you get close, it’ll split into three and you’ll have to pick the correct bird in order to battle it. The correct bird will have a tail animation that is slightly different from the other two.

If you pick the wrong bird, it’ll fly away, so we really recommend saving before this encounter so you can keep retrying if the bird ends up flying off.

Where to find Galarian Zapdos

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Galarian Zapdos will be seen sprinting around the main Galar region Wild Area. If you fly to the Meetup Spot in the Wild Area, you should be able to spot it before it sprints off. After following it for a bit, it will eventually stop and face you in a battle.

Where to find Galarian Moltres

Image: Nintendo/Gamefreak, The Pokémon Company via Polygon

Galarian Moltres will be seen flying around the Wild Area on the Isle of Armor. It’ll be visible flying above the ocean by the train station. It’ll loop around to in front of the dojo, so you should be able to intercept the bird there. If you get ahead of it, it’ll swoop down and attack you, initiating battle.