Woman's Hilariously Dramatic Encounter With Bird: 'That Escalated Quickly'

A video of a bird appearing to be stuck on a woman's back during a dramatic faceoff with the animal has left internet viewers in stitches. The hilarious encounter was captured in a video posted by Kate (@katerosep), which has amassed more than 21.2 million views since it was first shared on May 3. The clip begins with a woman standing in the corner of an indoor setting with glass walls, looking down at what appears to be a black bird on a carpet floor. As she approaches with a basket in hand in an attempt to scoop the animal into it, the woman gasps and jumps back as the bird suddenly flies out of the video frame. She is later seen saying "no" while looking into the distance before screaming as the bird returns and lands on her back. She later hysterically tries to shake the creature off her back, running outside, as the animal appears to be clutched onto the back of her shirt. A caption shared with the post reads: "Well that escalated quickly." The woman's fearful reaction over the bird encounter is unsurprising because an estimated 12.5 percent of adults in the U.S. experience "specific phobia at some time in their lives," according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). A specific phobia is defined as an "intense, irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger," says the NIMH.

Why Do People Fear Birds?

People with an extreme fear of birds have a condition known as ornithophobia, with "ornithos" being the Greek word for bird and "phobos" meaning fear. "They may worry that birds will attack them and feel as if they're in danger when they see birds," the Cleveland Clinic, the nonprofit academic medical center, says. Those who suffer from ornithophobia may have had a frightening encounter with a bird in the past. For example, as a child, they may have been chased by geese at a park or been divebombed by seagulls while trying to relax on a beach. They may have also witnessed birds attacking or eating another animal such as a mouse or rabbit, according to the medical center. The Cleveland Clinic adds that the numbers of those with ornithophobia may have surged in the 1960s following the release of the Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds. "In the movie, flocks of vicious birds (mostly crows and seagulls) attack the residents of a small beach town. The Edgar Allan Poe poem 'The Raven' also portrays crows as scary. Crows are often made out to be bad or frightening. In fact, a group of crows is called a murder," the medical center says. Those with ornithophobia may be afraid of the following, as outlined by the Cleveland Clinic:

• All birds or only certain types, such as birds of prey (hawks) or household birds (parakeets).
• Taxidermy birds or bird sculptures on display in various places.
• Pictures of birds in movies or shows, including animated birds.
• Bird feathers.
• The sound of birds squawking or wings fluttering.

The Cleveland Clinic says: "Birds are abundant in nature, making them impossible to avoid completely if you go outside. It isn't healthy or practical to stay inside to prevent bird encounters." Ornithophobia can be treated with different forms of therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy (a form of talk therapy) and exposure therapy (desensitization), and medication may also help with symptoms, the nonprofit says.

'My Worst Nightmare'

TikTok users were floored by the viral clip, with some sympathizing with the woman's panicked response. MorissaImperial posted, "This. Is. My. Worst. Nightmare," and Melissa Joseph Schee added, "my deepest fear." Janelle wrote: "You handled that way better then i would EVER!!! Especially with it stuck on your back i would have died!!!" Alex Cassidy commented: "Bro this is hilaaaarious. what are the chances it would fly into the window and land on your back." User @jolynpaige22 agreed, saying: "I'm soooo sorry I laughed so hardddd." User @mimifabienne7 could relate to the woman's panic, asking: "Why so dramatic it's just a bird." User @just_emxly_ defended the original poster, saying: "Na you don't know the fear until you have a bird flying full speed toward your head, she's not being dramatic." Do you have a similar animal-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@newsweek.com and your story could be featured on Newsweek.