In Melbourne, Australia, one particularly clever wild bird has found an unusual way to pass the time — and possibly terrify the local insects.
The other day, Reddit user Dono701 glanced out their window and spotted a pied currawong perched casually on their fence. At first, nothing seemed too unusual … until they noticed what the bird had clamped in his beak: a rubber band.
That alone was strange enough. But then the bird’s behavior took things to a whole new level.
With focused precision, the currawong began stretching and looping the rubber band between the fence slats until it caught just right. Then, like a mischievous kid in the back of the classroom, he pulled it back — and fired.
“Seems like they’re preparing for war,” Dono701 joked in their post.
While a rubber band might not be the most fearsome weapon outside of grade school, it’s clear the bird was enjoying his new skill. And it’s not hard to see why — currawongs, like their crow and raven cousins, are highly intelligent and famously curious. They’re known to explore, experiment, and sometimes invent new ways to play.
This particular bird clearly saw a rubber band not just as trash, but as an opportunity — much like others of his kind have been spotted doing with random objects (including, surprisingly, bath mats).
Luckily, his new “slingshot” is more about fun than actual combat. So while Melbourne’s pigeons can probably relax for now, it’s safe to say this currawong has just unlocked a brand-new hobby — and the neighborhood might want to keep an eye on their office supplies.
