Birds Aren't Real: If it flies, it spies!

What if everything you knew about birds was a lie?
A viral movement once claimed pigeons aren’t real, bird poop is government-issued tracking fluid, and other birds were 5G-enabled spies. Ridiculous? Well it caught on! So why did it stick? And what does a fake conspiracy about fake birds, tell us about how people really see them?

Ok,  Let’s jump into some of the wildest claims from the Birds Aren’t Real movement, totally absurd, strangely convincing, and weirdly brilliant.

Top claims from the Birds Aren’t Real  Movement:

1. The U.S. government killed all birds between 1959 and 2001.
   Birds didn’t  die out naturally, they were allegedly systematically exterminated by the U.S. government using planes that sprayed poison from the sky.
2. All birds were replaced with surveillance drones.
3. President Eisenhower started the program.The theory says Eisenhower ordered the CIA to create the “bird drone” replacement program in the late 1950s.
4. JFK was assassinated because he opposed the bird drone program. According to the lore, JFK found out about the plan and wanted to shut it down. The CIA allegedly had him killed to keep it going.
5. The CIA built a secret drone lab in Area 51.
   This was supposedly the hub for developing early bird surveillance tech.
6. Bird poop is a tracking mechanism.
   The theory claims birds don’t poop, they’re “recharging tracking fluid” on your car, which sends your location data back to the government.
7. The birds charge themselves on power lines.
   Power lines are not for electricity distribution, the theory says, they're for charging the birds.
8. Drone birds have 5G capabilities. Yes, of course 5G gets thrown in. Some models beam data in real time through cell networks.
9. Pigeons are the most advanced models. Because they’re always watching and walking among us, pigeons are portrayed as the elite surveillance units.
10. The “Bird Drone Surveillance Crisis” has been covered up for decades. There’s an entire fake history that claims the government has worked hard to cover it all up, aided by the media, tech companies, and schools.

So what’s the story?

In January 2017, amidst intense political demonstrations, a college student named Peter McIndoe found himself in Memphis, Tennessee. Observing the charged atmosphere, he decided to inject a dose of absurdity into the scene. Grabbing a piece of cardboard, he scrawled the phrase "Birds Aren't Real". A nonsensical statement meant to parody the proliferation of conspiracy theories.

"I remember thinking it would be very interesting if someone was in this situation with a sign that had nothing to do with anything that's going on here," McIndoe recounted in a 60 Minutes interview.

This spontaneous act was captured on video, went viral, and inadvertently birthed a movement and, ironically, a ‘fact-based’ organisation, at least according to them.

The Movement's Evolution: Satire Meets Reality

What began as a jest transformed into a full-fledged satirical campaign. The movement put forward that birds were replaced by government surveillance drones, a narrative so outlandish it was clearly satirical. Yet, its presentation mirrored genuine conspiracy theories, complete with rallies, merchandise, and a dedicated online presence.

McIndoe elaborated on the movement's intent during a TED Talk:

"It's taking this concept of misinformation and almost building a little safe space to come together within it and laugh at it, rather than be scared by it."

Despite its satirical roots, the movement's realistic portrayal led some to question its authenticity. While the majority recognised the parody, a subset of individuals either genuinely believed the theory or engaged with it in a manner that blurred the lines between satire and belief.

"Supporters don’t actually believe that birds are government drones (well, most don’t). Instead, they use the movement to highlight the absurdity of real-life conspiracy theories that gain traction despite lacking any real evidence."

This phenomenon underscores the complexities of modern information dissemination, where satire can be misconstrued as fact.

Cultural Impact: A Mirror to Society

The "Birds Aren't Real" movement serves as a commentary on the susceptibility of society to misinformation. By mimicking the structure and fervour of actual conspiracy theories, it highlights how easily such narratives can gain traction.

"Birds Aren’t Real has been a way for people to process that... It is a sign of our times that we have social media networks which allow for people to make up their own parodies and create content that goes viral."

What's the Real Message Behind the Fake Birds:

While the claim that birds are government drones is patently false, the movement's underlying message is profoundly real. It challenges us to scrutinise the information we consume and to recognise the fine line between satire and reality in the digital age.

So, next time you see a pigeon perched on a power line (charging its batteries & watching you), remember: it's probably just a bird, but the conversation it sparks about truth and belief is very real.