Duo the Duolingo Owl: Playful Sickly Icon Sparks Social Media Frenzy

Duolingo users were in for a surprise when they opened the app to find their beloved green owl mascot, Duo, looking a bit under the weather. The humorous image shows Duo with one eye wide open, outlined in pink and white, looking dazed, while the other eye is half-closed and droopy, expressing fatigue or illness. Adding to the hilarity, Duo's beak is open with a drop of green mucus hanging from it, and its feathers appear slightly ruffled with a few sweat droplets on its forehead.

The sickly depiction of Duo has sparked a whirlwind of reactions on Reddit. One user humorously suggested, "Duo caught the COVID. Better social distance for a while," while another commented, "Dammit Duo you're clearly sick, just take a day off." The strong reactions did not stop there; the image even prompted a user to uninstall the app, stating, "I saw this today and immediately uninstalled, making the icon ugly and weird is not how I'd like to be motivated."

Some users drew comparisons to other characters, with one stating, "Looks like Nightmare from Metroid Fusion," while another quipped, "Duo lingo like that clingy ex girlfriend." The drama surrounding the icon update has been both entertaining and confusing for many. A long-time user on a 1,600-day streak shared, "I don't know, I got the exact same thing yesterday and my current streak is over 1,600 days."

The comedic transformation of Duo has led to a mix of concern and amusement. One user joked about the bird flu, "Is the Bird Flu back?" and another playfully dubbed the mascot "Droolingo." The update seems to be part of a recurring theme, as highlighted by a user who recalled, "Didn't it do something similar near Halloween last year? It's a BIT early for THAT, Duo!"

Despite the mixed reactions, some users are enjoying the change. One user shared, "Duo is really getting unhinged and I’m so here for it lol," while another commented, "They are making it too entertaining to not skip a few days and watch the drama unfold."

Whether you find it playful or unsettling, the sickly version of Duo the Duolingo owl has certainly made an impact on the app's community. The combination of humor and confusion has turned this update into a memorable moment for Duolingo users worldwide.