Bird Keeper (Trainer class)

A Bird Keeper (Japanese: とりつかい Bird Tamer) is a type of Pokémon Trainer that debuted in the Generation I games. They are generally depicted as young men carrying bird cages, except in, in which they are female. use the sprites in the, mainly for compatibility between the games when playing the 2-player mode of Battle Tower's Multi Battle.

As their name suggests, they specialize in  that are based on birds, like.

In Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, Bird Keepers will award three Poké Balls along with prize money upon being defeated, except for Master Trainers.

In Pokémon Stadium, they are known as Birdboys.

Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire

 * See more: List of Battle Tower Trainers (Generation III)/Bird Keeper

Pokémon Emerald

 * See more: List of Battle Frontier Trainers (Generation III)/Bird Keeper

Pokémon Diamond and Pearl

 * See more: List of Battle Tower Trainers (Generation IV)/Bird Keeper

Pokémon Platinum

 * See more: List of Battle Frontier Trainers (Generation IV)/Bird Keeper

In the anime
In the, Rosebay, the character of the day of A Staravia is Born!, appears to be a female Bird Keeper and refers to herself as a Pokémornithologist. This character being a female is consistent with the depiction of the Bird Keepers in.

A male Bird Keeper first appears in Who Gives a Hoothoot? where he hosts a game in which the participant has to capture the that will be let loose in a given amount of time. So far, none of the challengers have succeeded. then accepts the Bird Keeper's challenge much to his amusement. Unbeknownst to the Bird Keeper, Gold had his Aibo use to confuse Hoothoot before they began. The Bird Keeper starts the challenge and Gold manages to capture many Wooper. When the Bird Keeper was about to have his Hoothoot stop the clock, Hoothoot started to get confused. The other participants then find out his business being fake. The Bird Keeper immediately retreats after his cover was blown.

The Bird Keeper is shown to break the law, conning children and poaching.

The same Bird Keeper reappears in Really Raikou & Entirely Entei I where he encounters Falkner as he too specializes in bird Pokémon, still in his thieving ways. He shows Falkner his collection of Pokémon recently caught which made Falkner somewhat interested. The Bird Keeper does not give any of them away. When and  appear, the Bird Keeper gets excited, which makes him want to catch them. Falkner flies away on his and grabs the Bird Keeper in time before he got hit by Entei. He is then seen riding on Falkner's Skarmory where Falkner uses Skarmory to battle the two legendary Pokémon. The Bird Keeper had trouble keeping up with Falkner's Skarmory's flying speed. He continues to ride on Falkner's Skarmory in Really Raikou & Entirely Entei II, watching Falkner take on the legendary beasts. After Falkner was unsuccessful in catching them, the Bird Keeper gets trapped by one of his boomerangs and gets arrested by Falkner.

He makes a cameo in The Last Battle XIII as one of the people who volunteered their Pokémon for transfer.

In Facing Gulpin Is Hard to Swallow, a virtual Bird Keeper using a is seen at the.

A female Bird Keeper makes an appearance as a background character in the Platinum chapter. She first appeared with a crowd entering the when  told his assistants to open the gates. Later, she saw Looker flying on his jetpack while he was looking for.

Trivia

 * In, a pair of Bird Keepers on are named.

In other languages
Vogelfänger Ornitólogo Ornithologue Avicoltore e Avicoltrice とりつかい 养鸟人