Couple reacts to ‘ominous’ fears about famous magpie

The adoptive family of Instagram-famous magpie Molly have responded to concerns about the bird’s welfare after an “ominous” post appeared online earlier this week.

Alongside the caption, “You will always have a special place in my heart,” a picture of Molly was uploaded to social media on Monday, seemingly inserted into a photo of the bird’s loyal companion, Peggy. People reacting to the “confusing” image said they interpreted the caption as having “sad” undertones.

Many expressed doubts about the authenticity of the image – it appears that separate photos of Molly and Peggy were stitched together to create a single image – and wondered what the reason for the cryptic message was. “This is really ominous. Did someone die?” said one respondent.

“I didn’t quite get the message of this photo. Is something wrong?” said another. Another asked if “everything was OK” and a third asked, “Who died?”

Bizarre image causes concern among Australians

Disappointed fans commented: “It’s not fair to post something that suggests one of them died. It’s not fair at all to make us feel sorry and sad,” wrote one woman. Others criticized the alleged “photoshopping.”

Each concerned comment sparked a flood of reactions, eventually prompting the couple responsible for making the viral magpie famous, Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen, to issue a statement.

“Despite the media headlines about ‘fears for Molly the Magpie’, MOLLY, PEGGY AND RUBY ARE HEALTHY, HAPPY AND LOVING LIFE,” they said on Instagram. “Well, we certainly know how to make the headlines.”

“We will continue to spread joy and positivity. All news about these beautiful animals comes directly from us, so be careful what you read.”

Peggy and Molly – the controversial Instagram stars

Queensland couple Wells and Mortensen claimed to have rescued the magpie Molly when the bird was just a chick in 2021. They claimed on social media that they found the animal injured on the street and were unable to return it to its family. The duo became famous online in the years that followed for the bird’s relationship with Peggy, the couple’s dog – Juliette even published a book about the two.

The couple now have over 950,000 followers on Instagram and share daily updates with videos of Molly’s interactions with Peggy, showing the bird and dog playing together. It all came to an abrupt end in March when the bird was surrendered, only to be returned six weeks later following a community uproar and an intervention by the Queensland Premier.

The announcement has infuriated many Australian wildlife conservationists, who fear it could lead to copycats who think it’s OK to take animals from the wild, introduce them to pets and document the interactions on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Do you have a story tip? Email: [email protected].

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tick ​​​​Tock, Þjórsárden And Youtube.