Have birds seemed unusually unbothered around people lately?

Some birds get used to people, especially in places where they often see them. A bird focused on food may also decide that a nearby person isn't an immediate threat. Either way, staying put doesn't necessarily mean it's tame or asking for contact, so giving it space is still a good call.

There may be a bit of attention bias here. Once birds behaving oddly are on your mind, similar stories stand out more, and asking several people makes it likelier that someone has one. That doesn't mean the sightings weren't real, just that a small cluster of stories can happen without a larger pattern.

Bird behavior varies a lot from one moment to the next. It might be feeding, resting, or watching what people do, and from a short distance those can all look like total calm. I'd take it as a neat little encounter, not a sign that the bird is comfortable being approached.