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Bernie Sanders upstaged by a bird in Portland

There was an especially warm welcome for Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders on Friday in Portland, Oregon, where a small bird joined him at the podium.

Democratic presidential hopeful uses #birdiesanders moment as a call for world peace

CBC News ·
Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders reacts as a bird he had just noticed on the ground suddenly landed in front of him during a rally in Portland, Oregon on Friday. (YouTube)

There was an especially warm welcome on Friday for Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders in Portland, Oregon, where a feathered friend joined him at the podium just as Sanders was talking about it.

Sanders paused his speech briefly when he noticed a small bird on the ground.

Just as he looked down and uttered the words, "This little bird doesn't know it..." the sparrow flew onto the podium and stayed there for just over 20 seconds.

The crowd went wild and the moment was quickly immortalized on Twitter, with the trending hashtag #birdiesanders.

"I think there may be some symbolism here," Sanders said after the bird finally flew away.

"I know it doesn't look like it, but that bird is really a dove asking us for world peace," he said. "No more wars!"

"Historically, the sparrow has been a symbol of triumph for the working classes," one person tweeted in response, posting a photo from a book citing sparrow lore to illustrate the point.

This sparrow doesn't appear to notice how his appearance at a Bernie Sanders rally in Portland, Oregon caused supporters of the Democratic presidential hopeful to go wild with applause. The bird stayed in place for more than 20 seconds before it flew away. (YouTube)

Canada4Bernie was proud...

Comparisons to Trump were popular...

...As were comparisons to Disney characters.

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