Countless conspiracy theories exist in today’s technologically-advanced age, whether that be the flat-earth theory or the more recent QAnon theory. A unique theory has started to gain popularity in recent years on social media that is a reprise to the normal, the Birds Aren’t Real movement.

This movement in particular is different because it wasn’t made to spread distrust in the government, scientists, etcetera — though the government replaced all birds with drones in 2001 — its purpose is satire. It’s meant to bring to light a problem that plagues today’s society where information can be shared anywhere and anyone can pose as a credible news source.

It was started as a satirical movement on instagram by Peter McIndoe and later proliferated to other platforms. The movement got traction recently, being only a few years old with ‘chapters’ all over the U.S., after they got coverage from various sources including a PewDiePie video.

Their belief is that all birds are drones, a plan put forth by the government in 1959 —  finally completed in 2001 — when ‘the last real bird died- in a closed ceremony on an island off the coast of Virginia’. A deeper backstory of the movement can be found on their website here.

“For me personally, the Birds Aren’t Real movement is more of a satirical approach to counteracting such far-fetched conspiracies (such as flat earthers)” said the movement’s Ohio ‘chapter leader’ in an online interview with The Daily Beast in 2018. Anyone can become involved in the movement by either purchasing merchandise or supporting as a ‘chapter leader’ in your local area.

“I [direct messaged] the ‘official’ Birds Aren’t Real Twitter account and asked if I could run the Ohio chapter and they said yes,” said the movement’s Ohio ‘chapter leader’ according to The Daily Beast.