Justified or not, people will always find something on the internet to lose their minds over. This time, we understand the obsession. What do you think of when you imagine a pigeon? An annoying grey or white that follows you if you give it a crumb of bread, right? Well, as entertaining as that might be, a regular old pigeon isn't what is consuming our minds and haunting our dreams; it is the super mutant form of pigeon called an English Pouter pigeon.
Elongated white feather legs, a puffed-out chest, and a seemingly endless torso are just a few features of this deviant pigeon species. In the viral video, the caption said, "Like different types of domestic dogs, domesticated pigeons come in all shapes and sizes like this Pouter pigeon." In reaction to the video, one user commented a question we have all been asking, "What the h*** kind of bird is that?" And another insisted, "That is no bird."
Viewers were suspicious the strange bird wasn't even real, with comments claiming the video had been deepfaked. However, the bird is, surprisingly enough, a genuine species. Experts believe the English Pouter, a pigeon breed known for its bulbous breast, originated in England over 400 years ago. The bird holds its food for extended periods in its chest, which is why it looks so inflated and, well, terrifying. The English Pouter, or the fancy rock pigeon, was bred to have a big ol' chest. They're all just descendants of the rock pigeon, like all other domesticated pigeons.
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The original video has 2.4 million views, 277 thousand likes, and 9000 comments, most of which convey mixed emotions. The reaction to the bizarre-looking pigeon ranged from horror to delight and amusement to bewilderment. One user commented, "That's scary. That looks like some weird eugenics experiment but crossing a chicken with a pigeon," while another wrote, "When the bro skips the leg day and only focuses on the arms." One of our favorite TikTok commenters said, "I thought this was a bird wearing another bird. I can't handle this." However, one user grasped the feeling the English Pouter gives off better than anyone could. He said, "This looks like when you ask a five-year-old to draw a pigeon from memory."
