Japanese bird scientist’s unconventional research tactic goes viral
By Ryan General
September 13, 2023
A Japanese ornithologist went viral on social media for his unconventional approach to bird research.
Key details: The unnamed scientist from the University of Tokyo, who is now affectionately known online as the “Bird Head Man,” found himself in the spotlight after an image of him wearing a giant bird mask was shared online. His colleague, Toshitaka Suzuki, shared the photo as they were conducting field experiments deep within the forests of Nagano Prefecture.
Big brain move: As it turns out, the researchers were studying the great tit, a species known for its impressive ability to recognize human faces.
This peculiar trait posed a significant challenge to the scientists, as any unfavorable encounter with the birds would result in distress calls that could disrupt their research. The anonymous researcher resorted to wearing bird masks for an entire year to hide his face.
No fooling the great tits: Despite the giant masks, the birds still ended up sending out distress calls. Although the scientists’ experiment appears to not be going so well, they have managed to entertain the internet with several photos and videos that have been viewed over a million times on X.
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