‘Clueless’ US Bluey fan left confused by what a ‘bin chicken’ is: ‘Why are they calling them boomchickens?’
‘Clueless’ US Bluey fan confused by what a ‘bin chicken’ is: ‘Why do they call them tree chicks?’
ABC children’s television program Bluey is known to baffle international fans with its penchant for the beautiful cartoon characters using Australian slang.
And now an American viewer has contacted a fansite after watching episodes featuring birds and the show’s adorable characters called ‘boomchickens’.
But it seems the fan is also struggling with the Aussie accent as they actually use the phrase ‘bin kip’.
In Australian slang, a ‘bin hen’ is a native bird called an Ibis, often seen in towns and cities rummaging through rubbish bins for food.
Posting a screenshot of two of the show’s characters – Bluey and Bingo chasing an Ibis – the viewer asked fans for help.
ABC children’s television program Bluey is known to baffle international fans with its penchant for the beautiful cartoon characters using Australian slang. In the photo: Bluey and Bingo are hunting an Ibis
After watching episodes of Bluey, an American viewer contacted a fan site for an explanation of the phrase ‘boom chicken’
‘Can anyone tell me something about these birds?’ asked the viewer on the Adult Bluey fan page on Facebook.
“I’ve seen them in several episodes,” he continued.
“They call them ‘tree chicks’?” Someone let this ignorant American know, please!’
Luckily for Rick, fans quickly jumped on the thread of the explanation page.
“OMG it’s a Bin Chicken, they’re actually called a White Ibis,” said one.
‘We Aussies call them a box, a chicken, because they are always foraging in the waste bin. I’ve also heard seagulls called beach chickens lol.
“My kids used to yell, ‘Omg, it’s a garbage chicken,’ because I yelled it at them when they were toddlers. Now it’s just a thing and my oldest is 13 lol.’
Another added: ‘I’ve personally been terrified of them since I was a kid.
‘They are huge, have a huge pointed beak and are not afraid of people at all! Nightmare fuel. ‘
Meanwhile, another fan, from the US, identified with the Australian slang for the Ibis, comparing it to the native American raccoon, also known as bin ‘scavengers’.
“We call raccoons ‘garbage pandas,’” the fan wrote.
The fan asks for help
Ann Australian Bluey fan explains that a ‘bin hen’ is a native bird called an Ibis.
A fan explains the Ibis’ ‘scavenger’ habits
‘Bin Chicken’ refers to the Australian white ibis (pictured), which often rummages through urban rubbish bins and is considered an eyesore
“So ‘bin kip’ wasn’t that big of a deal.”
Produced in Queensland, Bluey uses many Brisbane locations as inspiration.
Launched on the ABC in 2018, Bluey was quickly praised for its refreshing characters and received rave reviews from critics and parents alike, who applauded its good-natured storylines and riffs on modern parenting.
One of the few children’s shows that parents and kids enjoy equally, Bluey would go on to win a string of awards worldwide, including a Kids Emmy in 2019 for the thrilling episode “Sleepytime.”
Bluey launched on ABC in 2018 and was quickly praised for its refreshing characters – particularly Bandit as a capable and astute father, as opposed to a bumbling background character common in children’s shows.