Squawking bird blows the whistle on fake video trying to tilt Ecuador election

A widely shared video appeared to show Colombian guerrillas backing a candidate - but an ornithologist spotted something awry

An attempt to influence the Ecuadorian elections with a fake video purportedly showing leftwing guerrillas endorsing one of the candidates was thwarted by a ground-dwelling bird and a keen-eared ornithologist.

In the video, shared on social media before the election's first round on Sunday, three masked and armed men stood before the red and black flag of the ELN - Colombia's largest remaining guerrilla force - and expressed their support for the leftist candidate Andres Arauz.