Swablu is an avian Pokémon with a round, blue body. Since it has no discernible neck, its body appears to be all head. There are two long feathers on top of its head, and it has a short, rounded white beak and beady, black eyes. Its wings are fluffy and white, resembling cotton or clouds. It has tiny, white feet and two pointed tail feathers.
Swablu does not like dirty surroundings, so it cleans things with its cottony wings. It uses streams and freshwater springs to wash its wings when they become dirty from polishing. It is commonly found living in flocks in forested habitats, but often flies closer to towns during the spring. Swablu is very friendly and largely unafraid of humans. As a result, it frequently perches on people's heads like a fluffy hat.
In the main series
Major appearances
Multiple Swablu made their main series debut in True Blue Swablu, where it played a major role. One of them got separated from its flock when the tree its flock was nesting in was struck by lightning. May helped take care of Swablu, who had injured its wing, but the Pokémon was suddenly afraid to fly. After the wing was healed, it took Ash and his friends some time to help Swablu get the courage to fly again. At the end of the episode, May offered Swablu a place on her team, but ultimately chose to let it go when its flock returned.
A Swablu appeared in That's Just Swellow, under the ownership of Shane. It participated in the Crossgate PokéRinger competition, where it was able to get Shane past the first round. However, it eventually lost to James and Dustox in the semifinals.
Multiple Swablu appeared in the Hoopa's Surprise Ring Adventures short Flying in the Air. They were among the immense Flying-type Pokémon summoned by Hoopa to create wind for Ash and Pikachu, but their combined Gust was too much for them and sent them blasting off.
Minor appearances
Multiple Swablu debuted in Jirachi: Wish Maker as some of the residents of Forina, Jirachi's home.
A Swablu appeared in A Double Dilemma as a resident of North Petalburg.
Multiple Swablu appeared in a brief cameo in Destiny Deoxys.
A Swablu appeared in Who's Flying Now? as one of the Pokémon featured in the Fortree City Feather Festival.
A Swablu appeared in PK13.
A Swablu appeared in Pokéblock, Stock, and Berry.
A Swablu appeared in Clamperl of Wisdom as a resident of Maisie Island.
A Coordinator's Swablu appeared in Mean With Envy.
Multiple Swablu appeared in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew as some of the Pokémon living in the Tree of Beginning.
Multiple Swablu appeared in Pokémon Ranger - Deoxys' Crisis! (Part 1).
Multiple Swablu appeared in a flashback in Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea. They were among the Pokémon that helped Pokémon Ranger Jack Walker when he was a young boy lost in a blizzard.
Multiple Swablu appeared in A Staravia Is Born!, where they were among the Flying-type Pokémon captured by Team Rocket.
Multiple Swablu appeared in a brief cameo in Giratina and the Sky Warrior.
A Swablu appeared in Pokémon Ranger and the Kidnapped Riolu! (Part 1). Two additional Swablu appeared in the follow-up episode.
A Swablu appeared in Pursuing a Lofty Goal! as one of the participants of the Squallville PokéRinger competition. It was used against Ash and Staravia, but it was defeated.
Two Swablu appeared in The Lonely Snover!.
A Swablu briefly appeared in Coming Full-Festival Circle!. It was among the Pokémon listening to Nando as he played his music.
Multiple Swablu appeared in Butterfree and Me! as residents of Wayfarer Island.
A Swablu appeared in BWS01.
A Swablu appeared in Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!.
A Swablu appeared in Grooming Furfrou!.
A Trainer's Swablu appeared in Summer of Discovery!, Foggy Pokémon Orienteering!, and Battling Into the Hall of Fame!, where it was one of the Pokémon that participated in the Pokémon Summer Camp.
A Trainer's Swablu appeared in Confronting the Darkness!.
A Swablu appeared in A Fashionable Battle!.
A Trainer's Swablu appeared in A Performance Pop Quiz!.
A Swablu appeared in Valuable Experience for All!, under the ownership of a Trainer.
Pokédex entries
Episode
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Pokémon
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Source
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Entry
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AG064
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Swablu
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Ash's Pokédex
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Swablu, the Cotton Bird Pokémon. Swablu loves cleanliness and is quick to wipe off any unclean surface with its cotton-like wings.
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In Pokémon Generations
Two wild Swablu appeared in The Cavern, where they were flying away from a storm that a Primal Kyogre was creating.
Origin
Swablu is based on a bluebird combined with cotton or a cloud. It also shares traits more specifically with the ultramarine lorikeet. Behaviorally, it is similar to the Canada jay in that they are both given to sitting on people's heads.
Name origin
Swablu may be a combination of swab (referring to its cotton swab-like wings) and blue. Swa may also derive from swallow, a type of bird.
Tyltto may refer to Tyl—also known as Epsilon Draconis—a star in the constellation Draco, the Dragon. It may also be a reference to the play L'Oiseau Bleu (The Blue Bird) by Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck. The story is about two siblings, Mytyl and Tyltyl (ミチル Michiru and チルチル Chiruchiru in the Japanese translation of the play), who are tasked with finding the "blue bird of happiness."