Beautyofbirds.com's team of experts includes veterinarians, biologists, environmentalists and active bird watchers. Its believed it got lost during migratory flight. They need huge hunting grounds and are extremely territorial. Giant Bird Sightings All reports of Giant Bird sightings came from the Rio Grande Valley in 1976. If I hadnt have known they were there, I would never have noticed them. commented Jessica Coleman. Have people really seen this. Many Teratorn bone samples contributing to modern research have been found at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, California. With luck, we may get some photos soon. A jabiru, large stork native to Latin America, with a wingspan of up to 9 feet wide, was captured. Have you heard of any of the cattle and goat ranchers losing any calfs or kids? Because of its large size and ability to fly, Argentavis suffered hardly any predation, and mortality was mainly from old age and disease.[14]. . Till this day I still dont know what it was but I sure would like to find out! As of now, it's the largest species of flying bird ever discovered. my mother spoke up and asked if it was a big bird. I watched it as it sat up in the tree, nibbling at what Im guessing was ticks or fleas on its chest. He says he's seen what most have not an unidentified flying object, one that still scares him. 5 min read. The avian emitted a shrill screech. It was somewhat larger than the extant Andean condor, and by calculating the area of the organism's sternum and synsacrum, Teratornis was estimated to weigh about 22.5kg (50lb), which was nearly double the weight of an average Californian condor. If you would like to correct or update any of the information, please contact us. . Loch Ness has its monster. . the thunderbird closely resembles a family of bird called the Teratorn that existed between the Miocene and Pleistocene periods. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Perched on top of an elm tree was a bird of impossible size. When hunting actively, A. magnificens would probably have swooped from high above onto their prey, which they usually would have been able to grab, kill, and swallow without landing. I really don't think so. A closely related genus, Aiolornis, was about 40% larger and lived at an earlier time; it was formerly known as Teratornis incredibilis, but is distinct enough to be placed in its own genus. I was surprised at seeing such a huge bird. [8], The finger bones of the Teratornis were fused as in all modern birds; however, part of the index finger forms a shelf which aided in bearing the load of long and stout primaries, enabling the bird to utilize strong upcurrents in flight. Beauty Of Birds strives to maintain accurate and up-to-date information; however, mistakes do happen. I dont relish being thought of as a liar or being prone to exaggeration, but it was BIG. One of our favorite New Mexico cryptids isnt really a cryptid at all so much as a Native American legend known as the Thunderbird. Its status was recently reinforced when it was highlighted on the 1998 Yorkshire Television/Discovery Channel series on cryptids, Into the Unknown. An individual mute swan, which may have lost the power of flight due to extreme weight, was found to have weighed 23kg (51lb). Wish I had more to give you than my honor and this report. RELATED: Emotional support alligator spotted cooling off in Philadelphia's Love Park. Fortunately, the web is far bigger today and I have discovered some intriguing information about huge bird sightings. Mortality must have been very low; to maintain a viable population less than about 2% of birds may have died each year. Teratorns are members of Teratornithidae, a highly diversified guild of large carnivorous flying birds that lived between 25 million and 12,000 years ago. We both looked up and saw a really huge bird-like figure. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. Back about six, maybe seven years ago, when Hale-Bopp was making its appearance, I saw another bird that was way out of normal size proportions. If the thunderbird were the giant extinct teratorn Argentavis, this is how it would compare in size with a human [with illustration] Well, it was dark and we were just sitting there talking when we realized it was kind of late. Our local FOX TV News did a special a few years ago about large (LARGE) birds being spotted aroung Texas in a special called The Texas Files. I know now what the excitement was about. Today, we take. I could tell it was black and it had white tips on the wings. My granny calls them lechusa (le-chew-sa) and they are considered evil and bad luck depending on color. It is said that these great creatures once ruled the skies. It probably preferred to scavenge for carrion, and it is possible that it habitually chased metatherian carnivores such as Thylacosmilidae from their kills. Thunderbird: Open to speculation because these birds, most often sighted from Pennsylvania to the northern Midwest, have been said to resemble teratorns and pterodactyls. Investigating Reports of Living Pterosaurs, by Jonathan Whitcomb. [4][5] At the time of description, Argentavis was the largest winged bird known to exist but is now known to have been exceeded by another extinct species, Pelagornis sandersi, described in 2014 as having a typical wingspan of 7 to 7.4m (23ft 0in to 24ft 3in). From the size and structure of its wings it is inferred that A. magnificens flew mainly by soaring, using flapping flight only during short periods. Argentavis wingspan estimates varied widely depending on the method used for scaling, i.e. No, I think if teratorns still existed in the southwest in numbers sufficient enough to sustain them, they'd have been spotted by now or at the very least their amazingly huge nests would have been found.. it's not like the south west is covered in thick dense forest. Saw it in Edna!" This species seems less well suited for predation aerodynamically than its relatives. Another wrote that the fireball reportedly crashed in a field in Groesbeck. Which looked like a teradactal, was flying over us above our boat at about 2000 feet. I wondered: What cand of bird is that? I hope to get more details soon. The AMS notes that the Quadrantids "usually lack persistent trains but often produce bright fireballs. . I know what it was. I remember trying to research the phenomenon at the time I originally received the stories, and not finding much. Your email address will not be published. Argentavis magnificens, sometimes called the Giant Teratorn, is an extinct species known from three sites in the Epecun and Andalhual Formations in central and northwestern Argentina dating to the Late Miocene ( Huayquerian ), where a good sample of fossils has been obtained. With wingspans of greater than twenty feet, the Thunderbird is larger than any avian that has existed for 10,000 years. The Spix died out in Brazil in about 2000. They needed large open area suchs as the Great Plains or the Argentine Pampas to navigate and hunt." "The loss of the Buffalo would have a devastating effect on the migratory habits of a bird of such size." We were never able to see where they went when they dispersed. They just seemed to disappear, then return. [12] The heaviest extant flying birds are known to weigh up to 21kg (46lb) (there are several contenders, among which are the European great bustard and the African kori bustard). Driving a car may be the most common human activity during a sighting, but water activities, including fishing and boating, keep coming up in the reports. Why is it none of these professionals have seen or seen signs of this mythical bird twice the size of the Condor? Might be rare, but not impossible. Smacks of a possible Mothman type sighting. I think 20' wingspan is a gross exaggeration. According to Mexican folklore you are supposed to whistle back to it, say curse words, and stay out of the darkness, especially if you are a not so good person yourself. In fact, when we looked at them without the optics, they were BARELY visible. Most witnesses described this unknown mysterious animal, UMA, as about five feet tall, featherless and having a long beak, bat-like wings and a simian face. Updating the True Ghost Stories Page recently, I once again came across several reports of huge birds that I received around 2006. Since A. magnificens is known to have been a land bird, another good point of comparison is the Andean condor, the largest extant flighted land bird going on average wing spread and weight, with a wingspan of up to 3.3m (10ft 10in) and an average wingspan of around 2.82m (9ft 3in). Their fossil record is limited exclusively to North and South America. "We were afraid that it would come at us. Coincidentally a song called Fire in the Sky was playing. Okay, so I was looking through the page and I saw a story about someone who saw a really big bird and I remembered about something I saw once. At one time, wingspans have been published for the species up to 7.5 to 8m (24ft 7in to 26ft 3in) but more recent estimates put the wingspan more likely in the range of 5.09 to 6.5m (16ft 8in to 21ft 4in). Two Missouri City residents found alligators on their porches in the past several weeks. it was a dinosaur. It . I came looking for this bird, and found this article, after sighting a huge bird in 2020 at dusk, flying over the trees of my property. Of course, Argentavis suffered hardly any predation, and mortality was mainly from old age, accidents and disease. Analysis of the skull and bill shapes suggests that fish may have constituted a major part of its diet. [9] Thus, Teratornis may have primarily inhabited cliff terrain, where it could take off and soar through the air easily. What is sacred? From Houston to Fort Worth, Texans across the state reported spotting a massive and bright light streaking across the night sky Tuesday. Reptoids Reptilian Bipeds Cryptids or Space Aliens? Today, most new wild Condors are introduced back into the wild through conservationists breeding programs with captive birds. [17], Argentavis' territories measured probably more than 500 square kilometres (190sqmi), which the birds screened for food, possibly utilizing a generally northsouth direction to avoid being slowed by adverse winds. I stared at the back part of the head because it was exactly like the ones depicted in books. Scientists are watching them die out and believe there to only be 30 or so left in the wild, but like the Spix, several breeding pairs are in captivity. If youve lived here a while, you may have heard of most of these New Mexico urban legends. ABC 13's chief meteorologist Travis Herzog also received reports of the sighting and asked his followers on Facebook to share footage they captured of the unusually bright meteor and submit their first-person accounts to the AMS. A. magnificens, sometimes called the giant teratorn, is an extinct species known . Physical characteristics Currently accepted estimates: Wingspan: 5.8-8 m (19 - 26 ft) Wing area: nearly 7 m (75 square ft) Wing loading: c. 11.5 kg/m Length: 3.5 m (11.5 ft) Height: 1.7-2 m (5.6-6.5 ft) Weight: 60-80 kg (140-180 lb) For comparison, the living bird with the largest wingspan is the Wandering Albatross (3.63 m). To get their powers, though, the shapeshifters must murder someone close to them. The video showed the gator walking slowly along a fence in the neighborhood. THANK YOU!!! Teratorn sightings in New Mexico and beyond Editor Mountain Voice 262 subscribers Subscribe 4K views 5 years ago Teratorn sightings in New Mexico and beyond. Well, if the news of recent gigantic boars are any indication, I can't see why eagles, vultures or other large birds can grow to a larger proportion for whatever reason. Thunderbird of Crytozoology. It was about one third larger than today's living condors. Story: This story happened back in 2002. Many good samples of its fossils have been found in central and northwestern Argentina. Sure, you wont find any unicorns here (bummer), but you will find some other creepy critters that might as well be mythical or ones that are currently mythical but thought to exist anyway by many people and cultures, like Bigfoot or the Chupacabra. To keep the little hamsters fed (who, in turn, run tirelessly to keep the lights on), we partner with trusted brands as their affiliates. [3], An analysis of the Teratorn pelvic girdle and stout, columnar hind leg bones suggests that its legs had greater anteroposterior ability than those of condors, and that the birds were agile and well-suited for walking and stalking prey on the ground similarly to storks and turkeys. The single known humerus (upper arm bone) specimen of Argentavis is somewhat damaged. [6][7] Argentavis had an estimated height when standing on the ground that was roughly equivalent to that of a person, at 1.5 to 1.8m (4ft 11in to 5ft 11in), furthermore its total length (from bill tip to tail tip) was approximately 3.5m (11ft 6in). Well, there are many species that we haven't even found yet and species that we think are extinct but could be still living to this day. Some thought it may have been a shooting star or even leftover fireworks. Teratorns are members of Teratornithidae, a highly diversified guild of large carnivorous flying birds that lived between 25 million and 12,000 years ago. It may have flown and lived much like the modern Andean condor, scanning large areas of land from aloft for carrion. "I was wondering what that was! [15] Especially for takeoff, it would have depended on the wind. Example video title will go here for this video. Anyone with questions or comments feel free to email me at hedorah_85@yahoo.com. Is it a monster or myth? New Mexico, youre creepy. Sign up for a new account in our community. It is probable that it used thermal currents as well. Their wings were bat-like and they had no feathers. It's worth noting that the species could very well have had a much larger range than is currently known. Love New Mexico? Alisha Kegley Pate, who submitted a report to AMS, captured the meteor going down in flames as it entered Earth's atmosphere while she was filming frogs croaking at her ranch in Frelsburg, Texas. So, what about mythical creatures in New Mexico? . It was around 5:40 p.m. when something behind the feeder caught my eye, about 150 yards away. Another video from Michael Schwab, a witness in the area, shows the gator being lifted off the ground using a tow truck. Of course, nobody believed me when I got home, but I know what I saw. Required fields are marked *. [11] Meanwhile, the sarus crane is the tallest flying bird alive, at up to 1.8m (5ft 11in) tall, standing about as high as Argentavis due to its long legs and neck. If that is a picture of the same speciman i'm thinking of. Size and structure of the wing must also be taken into account. The teratorns were a family of giant birds (now extinct) that lived in many parts of the world, but especially in the Americas. had a long neck and wide wings just like in the movies or in books. It intrigued me enough to go searching for more information. It was cloudy and the sky was all orange so all I saw was the shape, but it was the same size because the wing span was about my height. No body would believe me. No one can entirely agree upon what exactly it is. . boy was he relieved. If there is a major disaster around the area where it was seen, that would confirm it. I was afraid it would eat me. Theories range from relict animals (species believed to be extinct but perhaps still living) to simple optical illusion, causing large birds to look even larger in the eye of the beholder due to lack of perspective or landmarks against which to compare. We looked at each other said bye and ran to our own houses. See the Site Index for a complete list of articles available on this website. Especially for takeoff, it would have depended on the wind, as although its legs were strong enough to provide it with a running or jumping start, the wings were simply too long to flap effectively until the bird was some meters off the ground. Even so, it allows a fairly accurate estimate of its length in life. No legend here. So, what about, With lots of local lore come lots of potential cryptid sightings, and honestly, were here for it. [3][14], "Flight performance of the largest volant bird", "Biggest Flying Seabird Had 21-Foot Wingspan, Scientists Say", "On the Size and Flight Diversity of Giant Pterosaurs, the Use of Birds as Pterosaur Analogues and Comments on Pterosaur Flightlessness", "Ecological and reproductive constraints of body size in the gigantic, "Hay un lmite para el tamao corporal en las aves voladoras?
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