Humans have been studying the world around us for centuries, however that doesn't mean we've seen everything.

Every year we discover new types of plants and animals and it helps us get a better understanding of our planet.

So you can imagine the surprise and excitement when people thought they had stumbled upon a new, exotic, phoenix-looking bird in the UK. It was found on the A41 motorway by some onlookers, who called the Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital for help.

Credit: Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital/Facebook

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Well, after a quick inspection, it turns out the exotic bird was actually just a seagull that had apparently had a run in with curry or turmeric.

Writing on their Facebook page, the Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital said: "This is one of the strangest casualty circumstances we have seen in a while! When they called to say they had picked up an orange bird, we had no idea what to expect - and would never have guessed at this!

"He had somehow gotten himself covered in curry or turmeric! It was all over his feathers, preventing him from flying properly. We have no idea how he got into this predicament but thankfully, apart from the vibrant colour and pungent smell, he was healthy.

Credit: Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital/Facebook

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"He is now looking much better and should be able to go for release very soon! As we say, we never know what will come through our doors next!

The hospital revealed that they've named it Vinny after the Vindaloo curry - that's a bloody good name if you ask us.

While it wasn't a newly discovered species, everyone was happy to send the gull on its way. Now, if you think this was an isolated incident, you'd be wrong.

This situation happened to a poor bird three years ago in Wales when a seagull fell into a vat of chicken tikka masala.

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Credit: Vale Wildlife Hospital

According to the Guardian, it was healthy and okay, but was coloured head to toe in orange. Thankfully, it was taken to Vale Wildlife Hospital to be washed up.

Lucy Kells, veterinary nurse at the hospital, said: "He really surprised everyone here - we had never seen anything like it before. He had fallen into a waste vat of curry that was outside, it was chicken tikka masala. The thing that shocked us the most was the smell. He smelled amazing, he really smelled good.

"He cleaned up surprisingly well at the hospital, we used washing-up liquid a few times."

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