After Ash rescued Noctowl from Team Rocket, Ash battled and captured it.

Pidgey Express

In the episode PM166, Ken (Malachy's Grandfather's Pidgey) was injured by a Fearow and Ash's Noctowl rescued it. Pidgey fell out of the sky into the nearby forest. Ash Ketchum and friends found it on the edge of a cliff and Ash's Noctowl went down to get it. Initially the Ken (Malachy's Grandfather's Pidgey) was afraid of Noctowl but it used Hypnosis to make it think its a Pidgey. More comfortable now, the two fly up and Brock bandages its injured wing. Later on, Ken (Malachy's Grandfather's Pidgey) and Ash's Noctowl went to a cloud and then used gust on it to reveal Team Rocket and their balloon. Ash's Noctowl uses Hyponsis on Team Rocket who then falls asleep and starts drifting away. Ken (Malachy's Grandfather's Pidgey) and Ash's Noctowl start pulling at the bag and manage to rip some holes in it so the Pidgey could all escape. With Ash's Noctowl as an instrumental helping hand, the Pidgey Express and the Pidgey were saved.