A photographer hoping to capture some cardinals in his parents’ backyard ends up taking the perfect shot of a bird mid-flight — with a face that looks just like an Angry Bird.
A Cardinal Moment: The Accidental Photo That Took the Internet by Storm
When Scott Taylor’s dad called to tell him that his backyard feeders were alive with stunning birds, Taylor didn’t waste a second. An avid bird photographer, he grabbed his camera and headed over, eager to catch some of the new feathered visitors on film. “I went to their kitchen window that looked into their backyard where the bird feeders are located,” Taylor told The Dodo. “I was amazed by the amount of male and female cardinals that were feeding on the feeders and in their trees.”
The feeders sat perfectly between the house and a grove of dark green spruce trees — a favorite hangout for the birds who flew back and forth all day. Taylor was especially captivated by the vibrant red cardinals hopping playfully among the branches. One male in particular kept catching his eye. But as many bird photographers know, cardinals aren’t the easiest subjects. “If you have ever taken pictures of cardinals before, you know how fidgety they are,” Taylor explained. “They are constantly jumping from branch to branch and never sitting still for very long. I am snapping pic after pic, and he flew off while I was taking the last picture.”
At the time, Taylor didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until he uploaded the photos to his computer later that he noticed something truly hilarious — and totally unexpected. There, mid-flight, was the cardinal in question — frozen in motion, wings tucked just so, and face twisted into a fierce expression. The resemblance to the red bird from the popular mobile game Angry Birds was uncanny. Curious, Taylor zoomed in closer. The stern, scrunched-up face stared back at him like it meant business. “I still can’t believe it,” he said, laughing.
It was the most hilarious and perfectly timed shot he’d ever taken. Without realizing it, he had captured what looked like a real-life version of the famously furious game character. After sharing the photo online, it quickly spread across social media platforms, gathering likes, comments, and laughs from all corners of the internet. Bird lovers were amazed. Angry Birds fans were thrilled. And everyone seemed to agree — the resemblance was downright incredible. Taylor set out to take a few nice bird photos, and instead, he immortalized a moment of pure, unexpected perfection. One jumpy little cardinal, caught at just the right moment, became a viral sensation.
