Professor Birch
| Professor Birch オダマキ博士Dr. Odamaki | |
 Art fromOmega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire byYusuke Ohmura[1] | |
| Age | 35ORAS[2] |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Hometown | Littleroot Town |
| Region | Hoenn |
| Relatives | Brendan/May (as rival), Mrs. Birch[3] (wife), unnamed son (Emerald only) |
| Generation | III,VI |
| Games | Ruby, Sapphire,Emerald,Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire Breeder mini |
| Animated debut | Johto Photo Finish |
| English voice actor | Dan Green |
| Japanese voice actor | Fumihiko Tachiki |
Professor Birch (Japanese:オダマキ博士Dr. Odamaki) is the residentPokémon Professor ofLittleroot Town and theHoennregion. He specializes inPokémonhabitats and distribution.
In the core series games
InPokémon Ruby, Sapphire,Emerald,Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire, Professor Birch is the resident Pokémon Professor and the father of the rival character (if the player isBrendan, then Professor Birch isMay's father; if the player is May, then Professor Birch is Brendan's father).
At the start of the game, he is being chased by a wildPoochyenaRSORAS/ZigzagoonE, and requests the player take a Pokémon from his discarded bag to save him. After he is saved, he allows the player to keep the first partner Pokémon they used in the rescue. Birch distributesPokédexes and one of the threefirst partner Pokémon of Hoenn:Treecko,Torchic, orMudkip, to aspiring Hoenn Trainers.
After the player completes theHoenn Pokédex inPokémon Emerald, he will give them one of the three first partner Pokémon ofJohto:Chikorita,Cyndaquil, orTotodile. In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, he will give one of the Johto first partner Pokémon after the player enters theHall of Fame and meetsZinnia. Later, after the completion of theDelta Episode, he will give the player one of the first partner Pokémon fromUnova:Snivy,Tepig, orOshawott. Finally, after the player enters the Hall of Fame a second time, he will give one of the first partner Pokémon fromSinnoh:Turtwig,Chimchar, orPiplup. He will also give the player theOval Charm andShiny Charm when the appropriate prerequisites are met.
He often works with his child to help observe and capture wild Pokémon. His wife worries about him, because he's always busy and rarely has time to come home. He is known to be more outgoing than the other Pokémon Professors, and oftentimes his research takes him outdoors. His field of study is primarily how Pokémon behave in the wild. Birch has knownNorman since their school days.[4]
He has also written several books:
- The History of the Hoenn Region
- The Ecosystem of Pokémon 3,000 Years Ago
- The Pokémon of Kalos and Hoenn
- The Coexistence of People and Pokémon
- Distribution of Pokémon Species, National Edition
- The Fieldwork 101
Pokémon
This listing is of Professor Birch's Pokémon in the video games in which he has appeared.
Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, andEmerald
These Pokémon are given to a Trainer at the beginning of their journey:
Pokémon Emerald
These Pokémon are given to a Trainer who has completed theHoenn Pokédex:
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
TheHoenn first partner Pokémon are available at the start of the game.
After entering theHall of Fame along with meeting Zinnia, theJohto first partner Pokémon become available.
After clearing theDelta Episode, theUnova first partner Pokémon become available.
After entering the Hall of Fame for the second time, theSinnoh first partner Pokémon are available.
In the spin-off games
Pokémon Breeder mini
InPokémon Breeder mini, after the player finished setting the time and choosing a name, Professor Birch tells them that he found rare eggs. However, he is too busy to take care of them, so he gives the player a choice between aTorchic, aTreecko, or aMudkip to hatch and raise.
Pokémon Masters Arena
InPokémon Masters Arena, one of the questions in thePokémon Trivia Challenge is about which Pokémon attacked Professor Birch. Since this was based onPokémon Ruby and Sapphire, the accepted answer isPoochyena. However, one of the answers considered wrong by the trivia game isZigzagoon, a Pokémon which coincidentally also attacked Professor Birch in a later game,Pokémon Emerald.
Gallery
Artwork
 |  |
| Official artwork fromRuby, Sapphire, andEmerald byKen Sugimori[5] | Official artwork from Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire |
Sprites and models
 |  |  |  |
| Sprite from Ruby, Sapphire,Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire | Sprite fromEmerald | Overworld sprite from Ruby, Sapphire, andEmerald | Overworld model from Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire |
Quotes
- Main article:Professor Birch/Quotes
In animation
Pokémon the Series
History
Pokémon the Series: Gold and Silver
Professor Birch first appeared in a flashback inJohto Photo Finish, whereHarrison toldAsh that Birch inspired his latestjourney to theJohtoregion.
Pokémon the Series: Ruby and Sapphire
Birch physically debuted inGet The Show On The Road, where he rushed to theLittleroot Town ports in his SUV to pick up Ash andPikachu. He soon diagnosed Pikachu with an electrical overcharge and treated him at his lab. However, Pikachu's electricity overloaded the electrical absorption machine and he ran off into the wilderness. Ash and Birch chased after him with the threeHoenn first partner Pokémon in hand, as Ash had no other Pokémon on him. During the search effort, Birch slipped down a cliff and disturbed a sleepingPoochyena pack in the process. He scrambled onto a tree branch, just asMay stumbled onto the scene. After she was unable to properly orderMudkip to help Birch, he was forced to take over and had Mudkip settle the situation. AfterTeam Rocket incidentally helped Pikachu in his recovery, Birch took everyone back to his lab. Later, he had May select her first partner Pokémon, and she picked out aTorchic.
Professor Birch appeared in flashbacks inThere's no Place Like Hoenn! andA Mudkip Mission.
InA Three Team Scheme!, Birch was revealed to have traveled toDewford Island to conduct field research during theWingull nesting season. While examining a Wingull nest, he slipped from the sea cliff and subsequently landed on aLoudred. Ash andhis friends then came across the Professor and later joined him on his expedition. The group noticed a cave and found inside it aSecret Base belonging toKeanu, but they quickly left after being shouted at. After Team Rocket stormed the Base and stole Keanu'sNincada from him, Birch and the others attempted to confront the trio, but they realized the Base had been tunneled through. They followed the tunnel through to an ancient ruin site, and watched asTeam Aqua andTeam Magma confronted each other. Birch and the others remained undetected throughout the whole ordeal.
In thefollowing episode, Birch spotted severalwildSeedot wandering around aimlessly because of a recent landslide that left them without a home. He played with the Seedot just before Team Rocket appeared again. WhenJessie called out her "Silcoon", Birch corrected her, saying Jessie actually had aCascoon under her possession, but Jessie didn't believe him.May's Silcoonevolved during the confrontation, and Birch later handed May a frisbee to help her newBeautifly strengthen itsGust attack. Later, Birch and the others found an ideal location for the Seedot to drink from, but Team Rocket appeared again to disturb the peace. This time, Jessie's Cascoon evolved into aDustox, confirming the Professor's earlier statement. After Team Rocket blasted off, and with the Seedot now happily relocated, Birch headed back to Littleroot Town.
The group headed towards Birch's laboratory inA Six Pack Attack. However, the Professor came across them first as he rushed off to pick upProfessor Oak, who he was eager to meet for the first time. Ash andBrock went with Birch to collect Oak from the Littleroot Town seaport, but they realized Oak decided to hitchhike on his own and had already reached the laboratory. After Team Rocket stole theKanto first partner Pokémon that Oak brought with him, as well as Birch's trio of Hoenn first partner Pokémon, Oak,May, andMax gave chase but were captured. Birch received word of the incident and headed over to Team Rocket's cave hideout with the help of his friend, Poochyena. Oak and the others managed to free themselves, and Ash's group then sent Team Rocket blasting off. Ash and his friends later boarded a ship towardsFortree City and waved goodbye to the two Professors and Joshua.
Ash and his friends encountered Birch again as he was relaxing on Island A of the tropicalA-B-C Islands inThe Evolutionary War!. He explained that he was already aware aDeep Sea Tooth causedClamperl toevolve into aHuntail, and that aDeep Sea Scale was needed to obtain aGorebyss, though he was interested in the mystery around these two Evolution methods. Ash's group joined Birch on his expedition, and local studentsNancy andKeith accompanied them to Island B and Island C, respectively. Birch took water samples at the respective islands and later concluded that Island B's water was infused with Deep Sea Scale and Island C contained Deep Sea Tooth fragments. Birch decided to remain on Island A to continue his research after witnessing both Keith and Nancy's Clamperl evolving from a Deep Sea Tooth and Scale, respectively, while Ash's group left forMossdeep City.
As Ash arrived home toPallet Town, Birch and Max had driven over there to attend the homecoming party inThe Scheme Team. In thefollowing episode, Birch visitedProfessor Oak's Laboratory, whereAsh's Muk took a particular liking to him. Later, Birch tried to confront Team Rocket, butDelia told him to leave it to the children, who went on to defeat the trio. With Ash and his friends setting off for the KantoPokémon Contests andBattle Frontier, the two Professors gifted Ash and May an updatedPokédex each.
Birch reappeared in another flashback inReversing the Charges. He also made a brief cameo inThe Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon, afterDr. Yung revealed he had hacked the computer data of leading specialists, including that of Birch, to help with the construction of hisMirage Pokémon system.
Pokémon the Series: XY
Professor Birch appeared in a flashback inRivals: Today and Tomorrow!, where he was seen givingSawyer a first partner Pokémon to choose from, which ended up beingTreecko.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series
InBattling as Hard as Stone!, Professor Birch was seen watchingSteven'sMasters Eight Tournament match against Ash alongsideDrew andHarley ontelevision.
Character
Birch has a keen interest in field research and likes to study Pokémon habitats and behaviors. Because his line of work requires him to be primarily outside his lab, Birch's assistantJoshua is often left running the lab in his place, doing duties such as giving newTrainers theirfirst partner Pokémon. He is good friends withNorman and was also familiar with Norman's daughterMay, as mentioned inGet The Show On The Road.
Personally, Birch is jovial and carefree, but he has a reckless driving style in which he regularly jumps ledges and travels on winding mountain roads. He was also a fantastic mentor, even though he does not like teaching, and he is held in high regard byTrainers likeHarrison. He enjoys playing with Pokémon, as seen inSeeing is Believing!, where he quickly understood a group ofSeedot and befriended them. However, he often finds himself in precarious situations and is often attacked bywild Pokémon during his expeditions.
Pokémon
 | This section is missing information on this character's Japanese voice actor and English voice actor. Please feel free to edit this section to add this information. |
This listing is of Professor Birch's knownPokémon inPokémon the Series:
On hand
Birch was seen pulling out aPoké Ball when he sawTeam Rocket attacking Ash and friends, butDelia convinced him to let the children do the battling.
Befriended
| Debut | A Six Pack Attack! |
|---|
Poochyena was briefly seen while trying to rescue the Hoennfirst partner Pokémon fromTeam Rocket's grasp. It responded to Professor Birch's whistling and its incredible sense of smell led Birch,Ash, andBrock to Team Rocket's cave hideout.
None of Poochyena's moves are known.
Gives to new Trainers
Treecko is a Pokémon that Professor Birch gives to newTrainers. The first Treecko appeared inGet the Show on the Road!, where it was one of the Pokémon thatMay could choose as herfirst partner Pokémon. It was not picked due to May pickingTorchic.
Another one appeared inA Six Pack Attack! along with the other first partner Pokémon. They were admired byMax and May. Suddenly,Team Rocket captured it along with the otherHoenn first partner Pokémon and the entireKanto first partner Pokémon line. Max found them and toldBulbasaur and Treecko to useTackle and Pound, respectively, on the bars. It then helped send Team Rocket blasting off.
Treecko's only known move isPound.
| Debut | A Six Pack Attack! |
|---|
Torchic is a Pokémon that Professor Birch gives to newTrainers. It appeared inA Six Pack Attack! along with the other first partner Pokémon, where they were admired byMax and May. Suddenly,Team Rocket captured them along with the otherHoenn first partner Pokémon and the entireKanto first partner Pokémon line. Max found them and told Torchic andCharmander to heat the cage with Ember until they got free. It later helped send Team Rocket blasting off.
Another Torchic was seen in a flashback inRivals: Today and Tomorrow! as one of the choicesSawyer could pick to be his first partner Pokémon. It was not chosen as Sawyer opted forTreecko instead.
Torchic's only known move isEmber.
| Debut | Get the Show on the Road! |
|---|---|
| Voice actors | |
| Japanese | |
| English | Tara Jayne |
Mudkip is a Pokémon that Professor Birch gives to newTrainers. The first Mudkip appeared inGet the Show on the Road!, when Professor Birch was under attack from a pack ofPoochyena. He askedMay to pick afirst partner Pokémon from his bag to save him. She picked Mudkip first, but had nobattle experience, and Mudkip fired a Water Gun at her. Professor Birch commanded it and it blasted the Poochyena off with another Water Gun. It then appeared later when May was choosing her first partner Pokémon, but she choseTorchic.
InA Mudkip Mission,Mudkip BreederOld Man Swamp revealed that Professor Birch is also responsible for the breeding and raising of the young Mudkip for new Trainers.
Another one appeared inA Six Pack Attack! along with the other first partner Pokémon. They were admired byMax and May. Suddenly,Team Rocket captured them along with the otherHoenn first partner Pokémon and the entireKanto first partner Pokémon line. Max found them and told Mudkip andSquirtle to cool the bars with Water Gun, which eventually freed them. It later helped send Team Rocket blasting off.
Another Mudkip was seen in a flashback inRivals: Today and Tomorrow! as one of the choicesSawyer could pick to be his first partner Pokémon. It was not chosen as Sawyer opted forTreecko instead.
Gave away to new Trainers
 Harrison's Blaziken |  May's Torchic |  Sawyer's Treecko |
At his Lab
 Zigzagoon | Lotad | Seedot | Shroomish |
 Wailmer | Sharpedo |
Voice actors
| Language | Voice actor | |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 立木文彦Fumihiko Tachiki | |
| English | Dan Green | |
| Arabic | شادي شمصShadi Shamas | |
| Dutch | Ewout Eggink (Season 6) Louis van Beek (Season 7-8) | |
| Finnish | Arto Nieminen (AG001,AG071) Tommi Haapaniemi (AG095-AG133) | |
| European French | Jean-Marc Delhausse | |
| Hebrew | עוזי פוקסUzi Fox עדי וייסAdi Weiss | |
| Norwegian | Trond Teigen | |
| Polish | Andrzej Chudy | |
| Brazilian Portuguese | José Parisi Jr. (AG001) Raul Schlosser (AG027-AG028) Fábio Vilalonga (AG071) Ricardo Sawaya (AG095-AG133) | |
| Russian | Владимир Герасимов (Vladimir Gerasimov) | |
| Spanish | Latin America | Salvador Delgado (AG001-AG028,AG095) José Vilchis (AG071) Alfredo Basurto (AG133) |
| Spain | Pablo Adán (AG001-AG028) Manuel Bellido (AG071-AG133) | |
GOTCHA!
Professor Birch briefly appeared inGOTCHA!.
In the manga
Ash & Pikachu
Professor Birch appeared inLet's Save Pikachu!!.
Gave to new Trainers
 Torchic |
Pokémon Adventures
Ruby & Sapphire arc
Professor Birch is the father ofSapphire and is old friends withNorman. He first appeared inMaking Mirth with Mightyena, where he registered wild Pokémon data onPokédex before receiving a call from Norman, who had just moved toLittleroot Town with his family. Wanting to help his friend with the move, Birch decided to head back to town, but was attacked by a pair of wildMightyena. A passing-byRuby saw the commotion but refused to help at the risk of getting his Pokémon dirty. During the chase, Ruby picked up Birch's bag, but accidentally activated hisRunning Shoes and ran off a nearby cliff. After returning to town, Birch called Ruby on thePokégear in his bag and properly introduced himself. Ruby revealed he was saved by a green Pokémon, but accidentally angered it into attacking him, revealing that it was actually a human girl. Overhearing the commotion, Birch cleared up the misunderstanding by revealing the girl was actually his daughter, Sapphire.
InDistracting Dustox, Birch received his belongings back from Sapphire, though Ruby had forgotten to return the Pokédex. Afterward, they called Norman and informed him Ruby had run away from home. Birch suggested calling the police, but Norman decided to find Ruby on his own. Later, Birch wished Sapphire good luck as she set out to conquer all of the Gyms in Hoenn.
InThe Beginning of the End with Kyogre & Groudon VII', Birch was caught in a flood caused by the awakening ofKyogre. He had planned on givingTreecko and the third Pokédex toEmerald, the third HoennPokédex holder, but a tidal wave caused him to lose the bag containing them. He was later rescued by Emerald, who didn't mind the loss of Treecko, as he didn't like Pokémon to begin with. InIt All Ends Now VIII,Wally returned the third Pokédex back to its proper owner.
Emerald arc
InVerily Vanquishing Vileplume I, Ruby and Sapphire arrived at theBattle Frontier, having been sent there by Birch to assist Emerald protectJirachi from the armored man,Guile Hideout. Birch revealed toProfessor Oak andCrystal that Treecko was also found by Wally and evolved intoGrovyle, but was lost when the boy awakenedRayquaza. He expressed concern over Grovyle's whereabouts, completely unaware that it had already evolved into theSceptile on Emerald's team.
Pokémon
Given away
Lost
Pokémon Pocket Monsters
Professor Birch debuted inPM117, where Red met up with him in Hoenn. InI Won't Let You Lead!!, he challengedRed and his Pokémon to aMagikarp-catching duel and was able to easily win the contest, along with the other competitions he was involved in with Red.
His most recent appearance was inPMHGSS20. He, along with the other professors, were the judges of Clefairy's fight withGiratina. After their battle, Professor Birch got into a brawl with the other professors that was started by Clefairy. After watching the fight that was recorded, they worked together and fought Clefairy.
Pokémon
On hand
| Debut | PM117 |
|---|
Torchic first appears as the layout of first partner Pokémon that Professor Birch is giving away. InI Won't Let You Lead!!,Torchic was involved in the Magikarp contest whereClefairy tries to push it into the water but falls in instead.
None of Torchic's moves are known.
| Debut | PM117 |
|---|
Mudkip first appears as the layout of first partner Pokémon that Professor Birch is giving away. InI Won't Let You Lead!!,Mudkip was involved in a cooking competition where it baked a nice cake from its Whirlpool attack.
Mudkip's only known move isWhirlpool.
| Debut | PM117 |
|---|
Treecko first appears as the layout of first partner Pokémon that Professor Birch is giving away. InI Won't Let You Lead!!,Treecko was used in the last competition where it had a race with Clefairy. Even though Clefairy was about to win, Treecko was able to get to the finish line as Clefairy got distracted by a noodle stand giving out a snack.
None of Treecko's moves are known.
Released
During the Magikarp-catching duel, Professor Birch was able to catch thirtyMagikarp. Afterward, they are released back into the water.
None of Magikarp's moves are known.
Given away
Professor Birch gave away thisTorchic toSapphire sometime aroundLet's Try To Be Idols!!.
None of Torchic's moves are known.
Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire Special Walkthrough Comic!
Professor Birch appeared in thePokemon Ruby & Sapphire Special Walkthrough Comic!. As with other characters featured in the manga, he was shown highlighting new features and gameplay mechanics introduced inPokémon Ruby and Sapphire.
Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire
Professor Birch appeared inPokémon Ruby & Sapphire. His role was virtually identical to the games, being rescued from a wildPoochyena and handing out afirst partner Pokémon to a new Trainer. He is the father of Sapphire and a friend ofNorman.
In the TCG
This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Professor Birch in thePokémon Trading Card Game.
| Related cards Cards listed with ablue background are only legal to use in the currentExpanded format. Cards listed with agreen background are legal to use in both the currentStandard andExpanded formats. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Card | Type | English Expansion | Rarity | # | Japanese Expansion | Rarity | # |
| Professor Birch | T [Su] | EX Ruby & Sapphire |  | 89/109 | Expansion Pack | | 054/055 |
| EX Emerald | | 82/106 | |||||
| EX Power Keepers | | 80/108 | World Champions Pack | | 091/108 | ||
| Professor Birch's Observations | Su | Primal Clash | | 134/160 | Tidal Storm |  | 067/070 |
| Primal Clash |  | 80/108 | Tidal Storm |  | 078/070 | ||
Trivia
- A cropped artwork of Professor Birch fromPokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire can be found as unused internal data inPokémon Sleep.
- InPokémon Sun and Moon, as well asPokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, there is ascientist inVast Poni Canyon who refers to Professor Birch as his idol.
Names
| Language | Name | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | オダマキ博士Odamaki-hakase | From 苧環odamaki (columbine) |
| English, Italian | Professor Birch | Frombirch |
| German | Professor Birk | FromBirke (birch) |
| European Spanish | Profesor Abedul | Fromabedul (birch) |
| Latin American Spanish, Polish | Profesor Birch | From his English name |
| French | Professeur Seko | Fromséquoia (sequoia) |
| Korean | 털보박사Teolbo-baksa | From 털보teolbo (hairy person) |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 小田卷博士Xiǎotiánjuǎn-bóshì /Síutìhngyún-boksih | From the Japanese name 小田巻Odamaki |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 小田卷博士Xiǎotiánjuǎn-bóshì | |
| Finnish | Professori Birch | From his English name |
| Russian | Профессор БёрчProfessor Byorch | Transcription of his English name |
| Thai | ดร.โอดะมากิDr. Odamaki | Transcription of his Japanese name |
| Vietnamese | Giáo sư Odamaki | Transcription of his Japanese name |
References
- ↑Professor Birch's Observations (Primal Clash 134)
- ↑Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire:Professor Birch, aged 35, the leading figure in Pokémon research, has announced a new theory regarding Pokémon diversity. -Hoenn News Network
- ↑Norman:I think that meeting you, Birch, andMrs. Birch andlittle May/your boy, has had a huge impact on <player>’s life. (Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire)
- ↑http://www.pokemonrubysapphire.com/en-gb/characters/professor-birch
- ↑Professor Birch (EX Ruby & Sapphire 89)
Related articles
| Pokémon Professors | |
|---|---|
| Core series | Oak •Elm •Birch •Rowan •Aurea Juniper •Cedric Juniper •Sycamore •Kukui •Burnet •Samson •Mohn •Magnolia •Sonia •Laventon •Sada •Turo |
| Masters EX | Bellis •Oak •Sycamore •Kukui •Sonia •Samson |
| Otherspin-offs | Krane •P •Hastings •Holly •Burnet •Tetra •Willow •Mirror •Phorus •Fir •Neroli |
| Animated series | Oak •Ivy •Elm •Birch •Cozmo •Rowan •Carolina •Hastings •Aurea Juniper •Cedric Juniper •Sycamore •Kukui •Burnet •Samson •Mohn •Cerise •Magnolia •Sonia •Amaranth •Friede •Willow |
| Adventures | Oak •Elm •Birch •Cozmo •Rowan •Berlitz •Aurea Juniper •Cedric Juniper •Sycamore •Kukui •Burnet •Samson •Mohn •Magnolia •Sonia •Turo |
| Othermanga | Oak (Pocket Monsters) |
| See also:Category:Professors | |
| Pokémon the Series characters | ||||||||||||||
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| See also:Pokémon Horizons characters | ||||||||||||||
| Professor Birch'sPokémon | ||||||
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| On hand: | ||||||
| Given away: | ||||||
| At lab: | ||||||
| Adventures only: | ||||||
| Ruby-Sapphire manga only: | ||||||
 | This game character article is part ofProject CharacterDex, aBulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in thePokémon games. |
- Characters
- Male characters
- Characters with an unknown Japanese voice actor
- Characters with an unknown English voice actor
- Articles with section stubs
- Professors
- Game characters
- Animation characters
- Manga characters
- Pokémon Adventures characters
- Ruby and Sapphire characters
- Emerald characters
- Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire characters
- Fathers
- Characters with confirmed ages
