Not slang: London paramedics find 'collapsed bird' was an actual bird

LONDON, April 15 (UPI) -- The London Ambulance Service said a paramedic responding to a report of a "collapsed bird" was surprised to find an actual bird instead of a woman.

Emergency Planning Officer Chris Hawkswell of the London Ambulance Service said a call came in Sunday about a "collapsed bird," and dispatchers sent out a paramedic, thinking the caller was using the popular slang term "bird" to mean a human woman.

However, Senior Paramedic Rachel Lack arrived on the scene to find a group of people attending to a collapsed pigeon.

"When I arrived I saw three men and a woman standing around a pigeon. I asked if they had called an ambulance for the pigeon and they said they had," Lack said. "They were surprised to learn that the ambulance service is for humans not animals."

Hawkswell branded the incident "#birdgate" on Twitter.

"Fortunately incidents like this are very rare but we'd still like to remind Londoners to use us wisely and contact our colleagues in the RSPCA for advice on animal welfare," ambulance service Director of Operations Jason Killens said.

The Greater Manchester Police, Chadderton, earlier posted a Facebook message detailing a station visit Sunday from a man "wanting to report that whilst on holiday it was too hot for him." The man was advised not to waste police time.