What is the Bird Trend?
The Bird Trend is a viral internet challenge where people pretend to be a bird. The trend (seen in videos like this one from havea_676 or this one from jademyler) involves an optical illusion where one person looks like a bird that’s standing on another person’s arm. The videos are usually short—about 5–6 seconds, and the Bird usually pretends to whistle or tweet along with a song. Other names for the Bird Trend include the Owl Arm Trend and Bird On Arm Trend.
How to Do the Bird Trend
Set up your camera ahead of time. It’s a good idea to set up the camera and start recording before you get into position—especially if the Bird has their legs propped up. It might be hard for the Bird to hold this position, and it can be uncomfortable for the other person, too. You can edit the clip later to remove the setup. Put the camera on a tripod or have a third person hold it. Start the countdown on TikTok to start recording your video, and get into position quickly. It might take a little practice to get set up in time.
Stretch out your arm on a flat surface if you’re the Person. The Bird Trend needs at least two people—a “Bird” and a “Person.” The Person pretends that the Bird is perched on their arm. Sit next to a table, countertop, or other flat surface with your arm outstretched. The Person’s arm is usually supporting some of the Bird’s weight, so be sure to rest your arm on a sturdy surface.
Hide your hands and legs and perch on the Person’s arm if you’re the bird. This Bird’s job is a little more complicated. Put your arms inside your shirt so only your hands show from under the bottom hem. Then, figure out how to hide your legs from the camera. There are a few different ways you can do this: Stand behind a counter or table so the camera doesn’t show your legs. Stretch out your legs behind you and prop them on something, like furniture or a ladder. You can also brace them against a wall. Note that this will put the most weight on the Person’s arm. Hide your legs in your shirt or a hoodie and crouch on top of a stool or table. Have the Person hide your feet with your arm. Use video editing software to remove your legs. It may help to wear green pants for this, but if you don’t have green pants, choose a color that contrasts with the background (like black pants if you’re against a light-colored wall) for easier removal.
Play a bird-like melody and film the scene. The most popular song for the Bird Trend is a TikTok sound called “harley is sexy” by KI1LST. The song has a cheerful, whistling tune and no words. (The sound is taken from the background of the song “Bring It Back” by Atlanta-based rap trio Travis Porter. The original song is explicit, but the TikTok sound is not.) You can also use sounds like: “Three Little Birds” (Like this video from priceadventure6 or this one from amberwhittemore02, which both use a version of the song from Alvin & The Chipmunks) “Original sound” by Haruun, based on the song “New Soul” by David Donatien and Yael Naim (like in this video from katclark or this one from napat_un)
How did the Bird Trend get started?
The earliest known Bird Trend video was posted in September 2025. TikTok user @liam_r_d posted a photo set to a remix of “New Soul.” In the photo, two guys pose on school desks, with one appearing to perch on the other’s arm. More videos appeared soon after, like this one from huzz.hunterzzzz2009, which got over 26 million views in about a week. Many TikTokers also shared behind-the-scenes views of how they made the video, like this popular one from Brooke Monk, which shows her boyfriend Sam Dezz smiling while exclaiming, “My arm is being crushed!”
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