Ever wonder what it's like to be a bird during mating season? No? Well, it looks like you're alone, bird-hater, because yesterday dozens of ornithoid enthusiasts gathered in Gramercy at the literal crack of dawn to celebrate spring and the upcoming onslaught of baby bird-making that comes with it. And, yes. There were costumes.
Likely inspired by our very own Winged Animal Week, the event, called "Petal Storm," was organized by members of various art collectives, like Flux Factory and Rabid Hands, and took its name from the falling Callery Pear tree blossoms that litter the streets in mid-Spring. Attendees were told to wear "comfortable walking shoes and proper birdwatching attire" for a "birdwatching tour to examine the mating rituals of little-known species" at 6:15 a.m.; upon arrival, they followed performers around the city, putting on fertility dances and taking part in other spring-related spectacles. Eventually, everyone ended up in (surprise!) Williamsburg, where thousands of flower petals were dumped off a nearby building, showering performers, attendees, and the street.
"It was kind of painful and yet amazing that at 6:15 am on a Tuesday morning, 50 or so people gathered together to go on a tongue-in-cheek urban ornithology tour in New York City," one attendee told us. "The costuming and performances were really quite cute, unique, beautiful and funny."
Looking to take part in the bird mating magic? You're out of luck: according to organizers, Petal Storm was a one-time event. But if you'd still like to do some simulated bird-watching of your own, we've put together this handy photo gallery just for you. And what the hell, here's the Arrested Development chicken dance:
