Investigating The Birds Aren't Real Conspiracy

#conspiracyexplained #buzzfeedunsolved

Once again Matt delves into a conspiracy! This time asking the question 'Are Birds Real'?!

MUSIC

Licensed via Audio Network

STILLS
Birds aren't real
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Allen Welsh Dulles.
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Birds Aren't Real: How a Satirical Community Takes Flight - 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals
Shedrick Pelt/Getty Images
Birds Aren't Real: How a Satirical Community Takes Flight - 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals
Shedrick Pelt/Getty Images
Birds Aren't Real: How a Satirical Community Takes Flight - 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals
Shedrick Pelt/Getty Images

VIDEO
Bank of Montreal exchange brokers
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MS ZI ZO JFK John Fitzgerald Kennedy sitting at desk and speaking / Washington D.C., United States
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1965 MS Detective speaking in front of blackboard / ZI CU TD Man's hand pointing out various items on blackboard listing the Elements of Investigation/ AUDIO
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1990s CU Pigeons/ ZO WS Pigeons on woman in Trafalgar Square/ LA MS Girl covered with with pigeons/ MS Man talking to camera in front of pigeon food truck/ CU Pigeons on pillar/ London, England/ AUDIO
ITN Archive Limited/Getty Images
Activists Across The Country Gather For March For Our Lives II To Protest Against Gun Violence
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SLOW-MO - Activists Across The Country Gather For March For Our Lives II To Protest Against Gun Violence
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Activists Across The Country Gather For March For Our Lives II To Protest Against Gun Violence
Tomas Abad - Footage/Getty Images
A man gives an anonymous interview
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Adult man typing on keyboard and thinking about what to type next
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wooden bird flying over the city
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Writing words No War on yellow banner to support Ukraine. Concept of peace. Stop Russian aggression. World against war in Ukraine. Drawing sign No War on banner for peaceful protest against war
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SLOMO track ahead of Frigate Birds and Brown Pelicans flying over sea with coast in background
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Top Secret document
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Top Secret document
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WIDE ANGLE OF BIRDS, DOVES FLYING. GREEN SCREEN BG. 72 FPS. SPECIAL EFFECTS.
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3d animation, a project of flying robot on white background
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Resistance rebels walk and march on city street crowded riot. Person claps hands
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Singing nightingale (Luscinia luscinia) at May, Belarus
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Extreme closeup of text on a page of a book
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Video Views Counter Counts Up to Half Million Views
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Aerial: Enormous Protest Marching Down Major City Street Around Cars In Shadow Of Towering Apartment Buildings At Dusk - Long Beach, California
Footage of the World/Getty Images
flying dove bird green screen motion graphics
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A crowd of demonstrators walking agitating on strike against the government.
sibway/Getty Images
Spraypaint On Screen POV, Industry, Art, Vandalism Concept
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CLOSE ANGLE OF WOMAN'S OR TEENAGER'S HANDS TYPING ON COMPUTER KEYBOARD.
Sony Pictures Entertainment/Getty Images
Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) flies over forest
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Gun Violence School Walkout – New York City
Tomas Abad - Footage/Getty Images
INTERVIEW - Jaclyn Corin and Cameron Kasky at WE Day California 2018
Getty Images Video/Getty Images
Florida Community Grieves at Vigil after Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting
Nexstar - KTLA, Los Angeles/Getty Images
Air-to-air SLO MO LA flying behind line of Barnacle Geese flying with clear sky background
John Downer Productions/Getty Images
Cranes fly across a blazing orange sky.
Franz Recktenwald/Getty Images
CU_Student working on laptop in library
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HD Super-Slow Mo: Harris Hawk Flying Over The Sky
simonkr/Getty Images
Bank of Montreal exchange brokers
National Film Board - Footage/Getty Images

EXTERNAL CREDITS
Matt Real

[AdelaideBeemanWhite]

I have a pet bird, and I think he should be fired by the CIA. He does not do a very good job of spying. His only interest is pumpkin seeds.

[missblue]

What I like most about this organization is that they managed to stop other conspiracy-fuelled protests because the protesting people did not want to be associated with the ridiculous statements of birds aren't real :D

[cassandrakarpinski]

"The ravens are looking a bit sluggish. Tell Malcom they need new batteries"

[manaash]

As someone who works in government, it's almost heartwarming to think how ultra competent conspiracy theorists think we can be.

[griffonsarcade]

As an owner of two pet birds, I find this theory pretty hilarious

[Shucksofficial]

So you’re telling me I’m spending hundreds of dollars every month to feed surveillance drones??

[ThatCrimeGuy]

That'll explain why my cat keeps leaving gutted surveillance drones outside my back door as a gift... She just respects my privacy...

[ACameronUK]

That’s the problem with the internet, if you repeat anything often and loud enough plenty of people will believe it 🙄

[TheRealAquaz]

I own two birds and I can for sure say : they are just her to overlook and report to other bird drones what I am doing

[johnguillett]

If birds aren't real what is Chick-fil-A made of? that's the real conspiracy here.

[Amanda-ifey]

One of my friends legitimately believed this a while back and when I asked her about it her proof was "Well you've never seen a baby crow, have you?!". I then proceeded to show her photos and videos of baby crows, which are adorable please go look them up if you've never seen one, and explained to her it was a satirical movement. I'm not sure she believed me, but like he said there's no harm in her believing the conspiracy theory.

[SearchingDMT]

When i was a sprinkler pipe fitter for new construction, the Mechanic who was teaching me suddenly told me about how Pigeons we're not real since they only exist in high populated cities. He said they were spying on us. To be fair he was known to do coke so he might have been coked out his mind when he confessed me his hysterical theory

[astrowolvez]

I’ve recently heard of this and heard it was a joke making fun of conspiracy theories.

[TheeJasonReyes]

Didnt the guy who started the whole thing even admit himself he started it as a joke and people took it seriously anyways?

[bryanjump]

This conspiracy theory isn't a real conspiracy theory. It's meant to be satire. The founder of the movement said as much in a public statement

[wednesday]

I have 6 bird feeders and the neighbor cat left a mangled body under one of them to my dismay. It definitely was real, you could see way too much of the insides

[markushizenburg]

They charge when they sit on the powerlines

[kobra]

This would make for a good orwells distopian type movie

[rawpilot]

The ironic part is Mcadoo sounds like a type of bird.

[sleepingninjaquiettime]

It's true, they're not. I raised a few baby birds that were knocked out of their nest. All they do is peep at you and poop everywhere, real things have more dignity and respect than that. Sometimes I wonder if I'm real.