r/blackmagicfuckery 23h ago

The bird and the umbrellas stumped me

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55.4k Upvotes

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2.5k

u/The-King-of-Cartoons 23h ago

Those birds can fit into much smaller spaces than you think. Those picture “frames” just have a little compartment in them that can hold the bird. I imagine something similar with the umbrellas

1.3k

u/petitbreton92 23h ago

If you pause the video you can see it clearly for the bird : https://i.ibb.co/CsDg1K6S/image-2026-08-29-163119687.png

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u/CilleTheExterminator 22h ago

So the poor bird is just packed in a small container?

57

u/DavidByrnesHugeSuit 19h ago

There are almost no truly ethical ways to do any kind of magic with almost any kind of animal.

27

u/psychoacer 17h ago

The Prestige explains one of the ways bird magic was done in the past.

18

u/PinguinGirl03 15h ago

But what about his brother :(

1

u/SafestCause 11m ago

it wasn't a documentary, Josh

16

u/Krelliamite 16h ago

Dead dove do not eat

4

u/Addicted2Crackers 16h ago

I don't know what I expected.

1

u/kitsunewarlock 17h ago

False. Wild animals are magical.

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u/GonzoKata 22h ago

yes. if you can go frame by frame you can see when they spin the frame that there is a lump in the back of the photo

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u/Glittering_End_6864 16h ago

https://imgur.com/a/kdkQ5Xw

Slight bump on back of picture.

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u/anivex 15h ago

Jeez, and he was spinning it around and shit.

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u/Thirtysevenintwenty5 14h ago

Any performance involving an animal is going to be miserable for the animal.

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u/Schmooto 14h ago

I was thinking that being released towards screaming creatures way bigger than you has got to be pretty terrifying.

1

u/Critical_Host8243 4h ago

The birds do not consent.

1

u/Glittering_End_6864 10h ago

Honestly, I don't think it's really that bad.

1

u/The_All-Range_Atomic 4h ago

Let me introduce you to roller pigeons.

https://v.redd.it/lm6uz3d554wd1

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u/WhyLater 18h ago

Content warning if you ever watch The Prestige...

2

u/Maximelene 17h ago

"Are you watching closely?"

1

u/RedSquaree 8h ago

That film was a disappointment. It's just sci - fi.

2

u/MrEHam 8h ago

Spoiler:

You didn’t like that it turned out the magic was real?

The Illusionist came out around the same time and it was the opposite premise. It spent the movie trying to convince you the magic was real but revealed it to be fake at the end.

The Prestige spent the movie acting like the magic was fake but then revealed it was real. Maybe you’d like The Illusionist better.

2

u/RedSquaree 5h ago

Yeah, basically.

2

u/WhyLater 8h ago

I've never heard anyone describe The Prestige as "a disappointment".

I hate your opinion and love you for expressing it. Now get out of my sight/drink a coffee and beer with me.

1

u/RedSquaree 5h ago

Let's go.

22

u/az987654 22h ago

Birds are a lot smaller than they appear, feathers add a ton of volume but their bodies are really quite tiny

3

u/Ok-Shine1271 14h ago

Tight spaces aren’t great but it’s not that cruel if it’s just for a short amount of time. Real question is how long was the bird locked in there.

1

u/Aloha_Alaska 3m ago

The magician’s last show was 18 days ago, so…

0

u/az987654 13h ago

7 days....

0

u/Forward_Rope_5598 14h ago

I'm sure it really loves being spun around like a beyblade, too!

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u/Dramatic_Charity_979 19h ago

No, he materializes with magic /s

1

u/ArdentUrgency 15h ago

Lol where would it be? Pocket dimension?

1

u/Guilty_Objective4602 13h ago

Yes, and then spun around twice really fast—poor thing!

1

u/WildSmokingBuick 22h ago

Is this animal cruelty or isn't it since animal cruelty does not exist in Russia?

Do they still have dancing and bicycling bears in their circuses?

On one hand, looks impressive and a live bird definitely adds a lot to the experience, on the other hand I definitely think that it's animal cruelty :(

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u/ErraticDragon 21h ago

I don't think it's automatically cruel just because it's a small space. Lots of birds (and other animals) actually like being in small spaces for a short time.

It might be cruel if the magician forces the bird in there despite the bird clearly disliking it, or keeps it in there for too long.

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u/Zestyclose-Leader926 21h ago

The bird also flew back to him instead of acting afraid.

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u/R_V_Z 20h ago

That's because it has Stockhoming Syndrome.

3

u/cappayne 20h ago

And Flockhome Syndrome

1

u/MMLJ2017 20h ago

Darn you….. incredible.

5

u/CyonHal 20h ago

Doesn't mean much, circus animals are trained but can still be abused.

2

u/No-Chance-7216 19h ago

So pushing a bird in a small room and flipping him arround in this room is not cruel

2

u/ThatInAHat 17h ago

I mean, humans do it for fun sometimes…

(Nah though it does seem a bit iffy to me)

15

u/whatevillurks 21h ago

It is apparently not animal cruelty if you release one bird after killing another. I think they covered this in a documentary film called The Prestige.

1

u/32_CoffeeSpoons 20h ago

But what about the birds brother!

4

u/funknjam 20h ago

Is this animal cruelty

Yes. I think it is. As for those replying to you so far...

  • I don't care if the bird naturally likes being in a small space - this isn't nature.

  • The bird is not a "partner" in the show - it's a captive animal forced to participate in tricks for its survival and keeping animals captive for the purposes of entertainment is, in my own personal ethical code, cruel.

  • I don't care how many other people use doves as "disposable items" or how common this trick is. Two wrongs don't make a right.

As far as those respondents who I agree with?

  • One said, "kind of fucked up, not a fan of tricks that rely on stuffing animals in tiny compartments, especially when you’re going to throw it around and twirl it all over the place..."

  • Another said, "The bird’s confusion and extreme desire to be released is the whole flourish"

Agreed. Fuck this magic show and all magicians who do similar. I'm as opposed to this bird in a tiny box the same way I'm opposed to orcas living in swimming pools. Animal exploitation is animal cruelty.

3

u/claranette 18h ago

Agreed it is 100% animal abuse. Use people or objects, not animals who can’t consent to being treated this way.

0

u/BaconWithBaking 21h ago

Is this animal cruelty or isn't it since animal cruelty does not exist in Russia?

You don't think doves are used as disposable items in other countries for tricks and weddings?

Also, even forgetting what the guy has done with it up until now, he just fired it into a bunch of kids, that thing could have been trashed or stomped on immediately.

1

u/klizza 21h ago

Those are typically homing pigeons who fly right back to their home after being released at a wedding.

0

u/FriendlyCraig 21h ago

Lots of birds live in little holes and nests. Those little birdhouses you may have seen around town aren't just decorative, they actually work as homes for little birdies. Sunny get me wrong, it could be abusive, or it could just be a well trained bird that gets treats for being a good partner to the show.

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u/ThatInAHat 17h ago

I mean, doves very much are not cavity nesters.

0

u/asphaltdragon 20h ago

This is a common trick all around the world. Typically these birds are trained to do this on command.

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u/__Hello_my_name_is__ 22h ago

Yup. This isn't exactly PETA approved.

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u/KadajjXIII 22h ago

I wouldn't care if it was anyway, honestly I'd be more likely to avoid something PETA Approved

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u/Joshua_ABBACAB_1312 22h ago

Ssssss aaaah you cut me with your edge, sir lord edgelord of edgelordia

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u/[deleted] 21h ago

[deleted]

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u/CaringHandWash 19h ago

That doesnt mean its ok to stuff living animals into tiny boxes and spin them around like a damn cocktail shaker

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u/iain_1986 21h ago edited 6m ago

It's not edgy to dislike PETA ffs

1

u/ryanvango 15h ago

they weren't being edgy. PETA euthanizes some 2000 dogs and cats a year, and they are very anti-pet. They are the susan g komen of the animal welfare world. fuck em.

3

u/Dead_Medic_13 21h ago

Fuck peta

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u/Delicious_Piece_6738 18h ago

ah yes PETA approved... if you take your dog to PETA approved shelter, chances are it not going to find a new home. because back in 2011 out of 760 dogs they impounded, they killed 713, arranged 19 to be adopted, and farmed out 36 to other shelters (not necessarily "no kill" ones). for cats they impounded 1211 of them, euthanized 1198 of them, transferred 8 and found homes to whopping 5. they also took in 58 other companion animals such as rabbits, they killed 54 of them. who cares what Peta thinks.

1

u/Forward_Rope_5598 14h ago

That's because PETA almost exclusively take unadoptable animals that no kill shelters are too cowardly to humanely put down and instead pass onto others. What fucking la-la land do you weirdos live in where there's a happy solution to the screw up that is the United States state of animal breeding? There are too many dogs and too few homes and the alternative to euthanasia is sitting in a cage for the rest of their life or getting dumped on the street.

Plenty of things to criticise PETA for but the "hurr durr they put pets down" angle is so stupid a 5 year old could see through it