Update, October 12, 2026: the Staraptor Super Mega Raid Day took place on September 19, 2026 and has ended. We rewrote this page as a verified recap (the earlier preview contained a few inaccuracies, such as calling the research Field Research). For what is live now, see the October 2026 events calendar.
Event Recap: What Happened
The Staraptor Super Mega Raid Day took place on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time. It was the Pokémon GO debut of Mega Staraptor, which is Fighting/Flying type (base Staraptor is Normal/Flying), appearing in Super Mega Raids. A Shiny Staraptor was possible, with an increased chance during the event. Niantic did not publish a percentage. Pokémon GO Hub reported roughly 1 in 10, but that figure did not come from Niantic’s announcement.
The headline feature was Super Max Mega Level. Mega Staraptor was the third Pokémon to get this treatment, after Mega Beedrill and Mega Houndoom during the Mega Squads event the week before. Staraptor caught in these raids came with Mega Level 1 already unlocked.
Is the Brave Bird+ claim accurate?
Yes, with detail that is often missing. Brave Bird+ is an extra Charged Attack that Mega Staraptor can use only while Mega Evolved, and only once it reaches Super Max. Per Niantic:
| Mode | Power | Extra effect |
|---|---|---|
| Trainer Battles | 70 | Lowers the user’s Defense by three stages |
| Raid Battles | 150 | None listed |
Its power also rises with Mega Level. Mega Evolving alone is not enough to reach Super Max: Mega Level 3 (Max) must come first, and the climb is paid for with Mega Energy.
Bonuses and Costs
- Free: Remote Raid limit raised to 20 from Friday, September 18, 5:00 p.m. to Saturday, September 19, 8:00 p.m. PDT, and up to six free Raid Passes from Gym Photo Discs.
- Event Ticket (US$4.99 or local equivalent): up to 14 Raid Passes from Photo Discs, a better chance of Rare Candy XL from Raid Battles, and an extra 5,000 XP and 5,000 Stardust from Super Mega Raid Battles, active only during the 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. window.
- Timed Research: a free line rewarding a Premium Battle Pass and a Gardevoir encounter. Leek Duck’s list of tasks included powering up Pokémon and defeating a Flying-type raid boss, with Gardevoir Mega Energy among the rewards.
Super Mega Raids are a tougher form of Mega Raid. The boss uses shields, each Trainer’s Mega Pokémon can break one, and Primal Pokémon cannot break shields. Pokémon GO Hub also reported a minimum of seven Trainers per raid, which Niantic’s post did not state.
What To Do Now That It Has Ended
- Do not rush the climb to Super Max. Mega Energy is the limit. Niantic says Mega Raids are the source of Mega Energy for eligible Pokémon, and Bulbapedia lists regular Mega Raids as giving 150 to 250 Mega Energy, with Super Mega Raids giving more. The same page also lists 5 Mega Energy per kilometre of buddy walking once the Mega form is registered in your Pokédex. Check those figures in game before planning around them.
- Plan around the move. Dittobase lists Wing Attack with Brave Bird+ as Mega Staraptor’s highest-DPS raid moveset, so a Staraptor that never reaches Super Max misses its best option.
- Know its weaknesses. Mega Staraptor takes extra damage from Electric, Ice, Flying, Psychic and Fairy. Use the Type Chart tool when planning teams.
| Weak to (1.6×) | Resists |
|---|---|
| Electric, Ice, Flying, Psychic, Fairy | Bug, Ground, Grass, Fighting, Dark |
Will It Return?
Nothing has been announced about Mega Staraptor returning, either in another Super Mega Raid Day or in regular Mega Raids. The only documented precedent for the format is that Mega Starmie made its debut in a Super Mega Raid Day on August 22, 2026, so each Super Mega Raid Day to date has featured a different Mega. Niantic announces returns on its own schedule.
Related Guides
- Pokémon GO Events in October 2026
- Live Now in Pokémon GO
- Beginner’s Guide to Raids
- Type Effectiveness Guide
- Best Attackers by Type
- Raid Counters Tool
- Pokémon GO raids hub
Sources: Pokémon GO official news: Staraptor Super Mega Raid Day; Leek Duck event page; Pokémon GO Hub raid guide; Dittobase Mega Staraptor data; Bulbapedia: Mega Evolution (GO); Pokémon GO official news: Starmie Super Mega Raid Day.
