Pigeon mistaken for a UFO in Paris

Summary

On 9 March 2008, an amateur photographer in Paris took five shots from his window. One frame showed an elliptical object, dark below and bright above, with an almost metallic look that prompted him to contact GEIPAN. Sequential analysis of the photos—especially frames four and five—revealed the object was a pigeon entering the field of view and then approaching a window. Sunlight reflecting off the bird and its rounded shape in motion had created a convincing illusion.

The IPN report confirmed nothing unexplainable was present. Classified as solved, the case shows how light, camera angle and subject speed can produce ambiguous images that might look anomalous without careful examination.