'Pokémon Go' Nest Migration 13: Community prepares for the upcoming spawn location changes

Impact

If you want to be a Pokémon Go nest hunter, learn how to make the best reports you can. The Global Nest Atlas needs your help, especially with Pokémon Go nest migration 13 on the horizon.

Every time a nest migration or a shift of reliable spawn locations for specific species of Pokémon takes place, all the community tools designed to track nest locations have to start all over again from scratch. And some Pokémon Go players are debating how best to use the Global Nest Atlas to provide accurate results instead than fast results.

Pokémon Go nest migrations can't be tracked without solid reports

Pokémon nest hunters naturally get excited just before and just after a nest migration in Pokémon Go. Finding and verifying new nests is like a treasure hunt that fans are able to begin fresh every two weeks. Submitting early reports to the Global Nest Atlas can therefore feel like a priority.

"There does seem to be a tendency to want to be the first person to report the nest species. There is no prize to report a nest first," Greenkappa1 wrote. "Also, a nest is a reliable place to find a species. You can't confirm it is reliable by doing a drive-by one time unless you are really familiar with the spawn patterns/locations." 

Only continued observation and multiple confirmed reports can "verify" the location of a Pokémon nest after a migration has occurred.

Pokémon Go nest migrations and Pokémon scanner apps don't mix

Greenkappa1 also has a warning about using scanner apps — software that scrubs data from the Pokémon Go code in order to discover where Pokémon are hiding. 

"First, you haven't personally verified the nest, so you are providing a second-hand report by a bot," they wrote. "Second, they may be unreliable immediately after a nest change. You can only be sure by actually going to the location and walking it down."

False reports of common species nests, like Pidgeys, can also be easy to file unless mappers are circumspect.

"Pulling into a parking lot and seeing five stops on your Nearby with Pidgey is not confirmation of a Pidgey nest," Greenkappa1 wrote. "If you think it is unusual, you should report it, but note how you arrived at your conclusion so others can confirm or refute."

Proper Pokémon Go nest migration reports, says Greenkappa1, are all about details. If you don't know how often the Pokémon spawn at a nest, say that you don't know. Another researcher may pick up the question later when they seek to confirm the nest. If you don't know precisely where the nest is located, say that you don't and another researcher may have the time to track down the precise location later.

Accuracy — and a willingness to depend on the accuracy of your fellow Global Nest Atlas contributors — will make it easier for everyone to quickly track down and take advantage of all the new Pokémon nests once the next migration hits.

More Pokémon Go guides, tips, tricks and updates

Check out Mic's guides on how to get stardust, how to determine how long it will take you to reach level 40, the kind of Pokémon you get from 10km eggs, how to create new PokéStops, how to maximize your chances of catching Pokémon and how PokéStops distribute Pokémon eggs. Also check out how to catch Gen 2 baby Pokémon, our analysis of post-balance update Chansey and Rhydon and everything you need to know about finding the long-awaited Pokémon Ditto.