The 'mutant pigeon' is actually real and people can't believe it
Pigeons aren’t known for sparking social media frenzies, probably because most of us view them as annoying, flying rats. But one TikTok channel dedicated to the pavement-lurking birds has prompted a flutter of interest after it shared a pretty jaw-dropping video. The clip, which is accompanied by suitably jaunty music, shows a staggeringly proportioned pigeon, with a fit-to-busting chest, skinny white legs and giant feathers for claws, apparently. The man behind Pigeons TV posted the footage early last month and it has since racked up more than 18.6 million views and 1.6 million likes. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Stunned commentators have pointed out that it looks like some sort of chicken/pigeon hybrid, with a number suggesting the “mutant” bird must be a hoax. @pigeonstv English Pouter pigeons #pigeonstv #pigeon “What in the A.I. generated pigeon is that?” one asked. “Y’'all better not [be] gaslight me into thinking this is real,” wrote another. “If I were 5 years old and you told me to draw a picture of a bird, this is what it would look like,” joked a third. “Bro came out [of] a Dr Suess Book,” added a fourth. And a fifth said: “I don’t know much about birds but these are obviously two birds wearing a pigeon suit.” However, it turns out they’re all wrong. And this Frankenstein’s Monster of a feathered friend is simply an example of one of the many varieties of pigeons that exist in the world. The English Pouter is believed to have originated in England more than 400 years ago as the result of cross-breeding among a number of other old pigeon types. It’s best known for its bulbous breast, which it can puff up and hold in position for hours on end, according to the AviCulture blog. Indeed, the bird is so famed for its interesting looks that Charles Darwin himself commented on its appearance in his 1868 book ‘The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication’, branding it: “Perhaps the most distinct of all domesticated pigeons”. The Poulter’s full chest also apparently influenced fashion back in the early 20th Century, inspiring a “poulter pigeon’ dress”, which puffed above the waist. Who knew that pigeons were true OG fashionistas? Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-06-20 15:51
Missing Glastonbury? Here’s how to have a festival feast at home
With Glastonbury kicking off today, it’s safe to say that festival season is officially in full swing. Didn’t manage to get tickets this year? Not to worry! From food to tunes, here’s everything you need to recreate the ultimate Glasto experience at home… Dress to impress It’s time to whip out the flower crowns and get decked out in your best festival gear – just because you’re at home, doesn’t mean you can’t dress to impress. Think fancy dress, glitter, fringing… anything goes! If you’re looking for inspo, try searching “Glastonbury festival fashion” on Pinterest and scroll until your heart’s content. Crank the tunes up What’s a festival without music? If you have a projector, you could get out in the garden and stream the official Glasto set, or simply pop the Spotify Glastonbury 2023 playlist on and have a boogie. Even better, if you have musically gifted friends in your group, get them to get their instruments out and put on a headline show of their own. Enjoy a festival feast Of course, music is important, but food is also an essential part of the festival vibe. Get inspired by Glastonbury’s food stalls with these recipes… Halloumi, chip and tzatziki pitta with salad Serves: 2 Ingredients: 1 garlic clove 1 tsp dried oregano 2 wholemeal pittas 1 midi cucumber 50g baby leaf salad 200g halloumi 2 white potatoes 80g natural yoghurt 15ml white wine vinegar 5g mint 1 red onion Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C (fan)/gas 7. Boil half a kettle. Peel and finely slice the red onion. Add the sliced red onion to a bowl, cover with boiled water and set aside for later. 2. Cut the potatoes (skins on) into thin chips, then add them to a baking tray with the dried oregano, a drizzle of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt. Give everything a good mix up and put the tray in the oven for 25-30 min or until crisp. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic. 3. Strip the mint leaves from their stems and chop them roughly, discard the stems. Grate half the cucumber and slice the rest into batons. Add the chopped garlic, chopped mint and grated cucumber to a bowl with the natural yoghurt and mix it all together – this is your tzatziki. 4. Drain the sliced red onion in a sieve and rinse under cold water. Return to the bowl and add the white wine vinegar with a generous pinch of sugar. Stir to combine and set aside to pickle – these are your quick-pickled onions. 5. Slice the halloumi widthways into 4 equal-sized strips. Then slice each strip in half so you are left with 8 halloumi sticks. Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the halloumi sticks and cook for 2-3 min on each side or until golden. 6. Once the chips are almost done, add the pittas to the tray. Return the tray to the oven and cook for 2-3 min or until warmed through. 7. Wash the baby leaf salad, then pat it dry with kitchen paper. Fill the warmed pittas with the chips, golden halloumi sticks, cucumber batons and a handful of baby leaf salad. Top with the tzatziki and quick-pickled onions then wrap in the tin foil to hold it all together – these are your halloumi, chip and tzatziki pittas. Serve the halloumi, chip & tzatziki pittas with any remaining tzatziki and baby leaf salad to the side. Fluffy bao buns Makes: 12 Ingredients: 7g fast-action yeast 2 tbsp caster sugar 340g plain flour ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda Bamboo steamer or bain-marie Method: 1. Combine the yeast and sugar in a bowl with 150ml of warm water. Mix and set aside for 10-15 mins. Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarb and a pinch of salt, then combine to form a dough ball. 2. Knead onto a floured surface for 5 minutes, until the dough is perfectly smooth. Place it in a greased bowl, cover with a towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour. 3. Place twelve 1-cm squares of baking paper on a large baking tray. Roll your dough until it’s ½cm thick and cut out twelve circles with a 7cm round cookie cutter. 4. Place each circle on a square of paper and brush with veg oil (so they don’t stick when folded). Fold each one in half, cover the tray with cling film and leave in a warm place for another hour to puff up. 5. Once risen, steam in batches for 9-11 minutes until cooked through. Add your chosen filling and serve warm. DIY double cheeseburger Serves: 2 Ingredients: 2 sesame seed buns 400g minced beef 1 tsp vegetable oil 4 slices of cheese ¼ iceberg lettuce (finely shredded) 2 gherkins (sliced) ½ white onion (finely diced) For the burger sauce: 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tbsp ketchup 2 tsp yellow Mustard 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tbsp pickle juice ½ tsp cayenne pepper Method: 1. Generously season your beef mince with salt and pepper in a bowl and mix until sticky to the touch. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions, shape them into patties, and pop them into the fridge on a parchment-lined tray. 2. Whip up your burger sauce by combining all your ingredients in a bowl and giving it a good mix. 3. Slice the burger buns into 3 and toast them in a dry frying pan until golden brown. 4. Heat a frying pan on medium heat with a splash of vegetable oil and fry your patties for 5-7 minutes. Top tip: use a spatula or burger weight to keep your patties flat while cooking. 5. Add a slice of cheese to each patty and turn off the heat when the cheese starts to melt. 6. Build your Gousto Burgers with shredded lettuce, a cheesy patty and a layer of sliced gherkin, diced onions and burger sauce. Pop in the middle of your burger bun and repeat. Don’t forget the bar Enjoy some delicious summery cocktails with these recipes. Mojito Ingredients: Juice of 1 lime 1 tsp sugar Small handful of mint leaves, plus more to serve 60ml white rum Soda water, to taste Method: 1. Slap your mint leaves between your palms once, then add them to a small jug. 2. Gently muddle the lime juice, sugar and mint leaves in a small jug, crushing the mint as you go. The end of a rolling pin works well for this. 3. Pour into a tall glass and add a handful of ice. 4. Pour in your rum and give it another stir with a spoon. 5. Top up with soda water, garnish with mint and serve. Bellini Ingredients: 500 ml peach purée or peach nectar 1 bottle of prosecco Method: 1. Fill your glasses with 1/3 peach purée. 2. Top them off prosecco, and serve. Gousto offers over 250 recipes from expert chefs to choose from each month, from £2.99 per portion. Visit gousto.co.uk for more information.
2023-06-20 13:54
Hong Kong Dollar One-Month Rate Climbs to Highest Since 2007
The cost for banks to borrow Hong Kong dollars from each other for a month rose to the
2023-06-20 11:46
Surge in China’s Demand for Gold Is Slowing as Economy Stumbles
The jitters affecting the world’s second-biggest economy are starting to feed through into China’s gold market. A surge
2023-06-20 11:22
These Are World’s Most Expensive Cities For High-Class Living
Singapore surged to top the rankings as the most expensive city in the world for luxury living for
2023-06-20 10:50
UK Food and Drink Makers Report First Drop in Costs Since 2016
Production costs for UK food and drink manufacturers fell for the first time last month since 2016, an
2023-06-20 08:51
New Planes and China Combine to Crimp Oil’s Key Demand Driver
This year’s much-anticipated rebound in air travel is sputtering, with profound implications for the global oil market. In
2023-06-20 08:19
Hong Kong’s Biggest Mall Amps Up Luxury Appeal to Compete for Shoppers
The long lines of customers outside Chanel and Louis Vuitton stores on Hong Kong’s Canton Road are finally
2023-06-20 06:23
Singapore Air Trounces Hong Kong’s Cathay in Battle for the Skies
The fortunes of Singapore Airlines Ltd. and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., the flagship airlines of two of Asia’s
2023-06-20 05:48
The Best Business Desktops for 2023
Almost everyone needs a desktop PC, especially at work. Email, Twitter, chat apps, the web:
2023-06-20 03:19
A dog was stabbed in NYC's Central Park following 'verbal dispute' between two owners, NYPD says
A dog was stabbed in New York's Central Park on Saturday following a "verbal dispute" between dog owners, the New York City Police Department said.
2023-06-20 03:16
'Drinkflation' comes for the British pint. Brewers sell weaker beer but don't cut prices
Brewers in the United Kingdom are cutting the alcohol content — but not the price — of several of their most popular beers in what's been described as another example of "shrinkflation."
2023-06-19 22:26