No One Prepared for 'Rare and Unusual' Sight Bird Camera Picked Up

A "rare and unusual" sighting of a black bear snacking on some bird treats that was picked up by a camera in southwest Rhode Island has been met with laughter online.

The Hopkinton Police Department (HPD) shared several photos of the black bear in a November 20 Facebook post, but it was a possible spelling error that led to laughter online.

"A rare and unusual bird (sic) sighting in Hope Valley. This post is just a reminder of our awesome neighbors out there," the HPD spokesperson said.

"Always something to consider if you own small pets. There is no need to report bear sightings, just enjoy them and maintain a safe distance."

Newsweek has contacted the HPD for comment via its social media pages.

How To Handle Bear Encounters

The black bear is the smallest of the three bear species found in North America and is the only one found in the eastern U.S.

Bear population growth in southern New England is expected to continue in the coming years, according to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

According to the Rhode Island government website, there are several things people should consider in order to stay safe from bears, which include:

• Never feeding or approaching bears as intentionally giving them food could lead them to approach homes.
• Secure your food, garbage, and recycling as bears are attracted to the odors.
• Remove bird feeders when bears are active. Birdseed grains are very attractive to bears as they have a lot of calories.
• Never leave pet food outdoors and if you must feed them outside then remove all food and bowls afterward.
• Clean and store grills as the grease, fat, and food particles could attract bears.
• Be sure to alert neighbors to bear activity and share information about how to avoid bear conflicts.

"If a bear comes around to your place, try to scare it away by making lots of noise yelling, or banging pots and pans together from a safe distance," the government website said.

"If you see a bear near a dumpster or in a building, don't approach or corner it. Give the bear an escape route."

Online Reaction to Post

Many people shared their thoughts under the Facebook post, with several jokingly commenting about the unusual-looking "bird," while others joked about the situation.

Josh Dubs said: "I just looked in my bird book. I can't find that one in there."

Kristi Littlefield added: "That's a big bird."

Wyatt Jeffries commented: "Big ol' chunker just jonesing for some snacks, bear with him."

Mike Perry posted: "Big black bird. Jee, I've got that type [of] bird in my yard."