Pokemon Go players slam “stupid chicken” for being insanely hard to catch

Kurt Perry
Galarian Articuno and Zapdos as they appear in Pokemon Sword & Shield DLC.

Pokemon Go players are losing their minds over how hard the legendary birds are to catch without using a Master Ball, labeling the Galarian trio “stupid chickens.”

Unlike the mainline games, most Pokemon in Pokemon Go are fairly easy to catch. Even legendary raid encounters aren’t too difficult to catch as raids often reward Golden Razz Berries that make the task easier.

However, there is one big exception to this rule, the Galarian forms of Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos. Not only are they difficult to encounter and have just a 0.3% base catch rate, but they also have a 90% chance of fleeing.

These unfavorable statistics make them by far the hardest Pokemon to catch in Pokemon Go much to the community’s irritation.

Pokemon Go players have mixed experiences catching Galarian birds

An annoyed Pokemon Go player posted on Reddit expressing their irritation with the legendary birds’ low catch rate.

The post asks: “Has anyone actually caught one of these stupid chickens without a master ball??” with an image of a 1087 CP Galarian Articuno attached.

Providing their experience with the birds one response reads: “I see many in a week, never caught one. Had a Moltres that was 300 CP wiggle twice in the ball before it broke out and dipped tho that was exciting”

In contrast, other players are having a hard time finding them, questioning their rarity: “I haven’t even seen one yet. How often do you see them appear on the daily incense?” with one trainer responding “Once every few weeks,” and another “I haven’t seen one in like 6 months lmao.”

Lucking out someone else managed to catch one without even being aware of its existence: “My Plus+ caught one in a normal Pokeball, thought the game was just glitched at first.”

As Pokemon Go players only get one Master Ball each those looking to acquire all three Galarian birds are forced to use other methods. Those who do encounter one of the birds are encouraged to use Ultra Balls, Golden Razz Berries, and throw well-timed curveballs to maximize their odds.

About The Author

Kurt Perry is a British games writer who started at Dexerto in April 2023. He graduated from Staffordshire University in 2019 with a BA in Games Journalism and PR. Prior to joining Dexerto, Kurt contributed 900 articles for PC Invasion including over 350 guides. He's an all-rounder who is particularly knowledgeable about Call of Duty, Destiny, and Pokemon.