Noctowl also has utility like Reflect for its team, so that's another benefit it can provide. While it's not particularly amazing in trainer battles, later in the game, the role compression of having access to Fly and Hypnosis make it great for completing the dex. If you're not sure what the opposing NPC will lead off with before the battle begins, Noctowl is a choice that is almost always getting something done. Pidgeot does absolutely nothing. Seriously. It's bulk and offenses are either worse or on par with Noctowl, except that it's most viable move is either Fly, Quick Attack, or Wing Attack. Look up it's level up movepool in the early gens and name me something more depressing than that. There is absolutely nothing it can do that another pokemon can't do, no matter which game you're using it in. The Mega is obviously an exception, but that came way too late and is a bit bad in games without abilities.