giant teratorn sightingsneversink gorge trail map

They roam the state, haunt our dreams, and play tricks on our imaginations especially when we are alone on those dark, dark nights! This white-clad spirit (formerly a human mother who tragically lost her children) perpetually haunts rivers and streams throughout the Southwest, looking to lure children to their death. So, what about mythical creatures in New Mexico? Why is it none of these professionals have seen or seen signs of this mythical bird twice the size of the Condor? . THANK YOU!!! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It may never be known what this strange flying creature was because it seemed to have completely disappeared. [6] For comparison, the living bird with the largest wingspan is the wandering albatross, averaging 3m (9ft 10in) and spanning up to 3.7m (12ft 2in). No legend here. Mistaken identity does likely account for some of the sightings, but what of the giant birds seen taking off from trees? This species seems less aerodynamically suited for predation than its relatives. All put together, we have over half a century of experience in the birding space. I know what I saw.. Very fitting," commented Brett Odorizzi. The eyewitness was traveling from Texas to Vermont. New Mexico is a beautiful state with lots to do and see, but a lot of it is wilderness and with wilderness typically comes some creepy crawlies. Guadalupe Cantu III was busy working his newspaper route, but he says the big news of that day 10 years ago flew right over his car. Currently accepted estimates for the size of Argentavis are: Comparison with extant birds suggests it laid one or two eggs with a mass of somewhat over 1kg (2.2lb) (smaller than an ostrich egg) every two years. he wasnt the only one who had seen it. Your email address will not be published. I would not have believed it unless I saw it. Beautyofbirds.com's team of experts includes veterinarians, biologists, environmentalists and active bird watchers. Fortunately, the web is far bigger today and I have discovered some intriguing information about huge bird sightings. The bill was large, rather slender, and had a hooked tip with a wide gape. Its believed it got lost during migratory flight. Other huge birds include storks, pelicans, the Andean condor, with a wingspan up to 10 feet, and the endangered California condor, which tops out at 9.5 feet across. 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. Well, the temperature started dropping rapidly, clouds started to cover the sky, and a gentle (but cold) breeze settled in. [12] Taking into account the strong legs, stout claws, and a gripping power not quite as developed as in eagles, it is rather likely that Merriam's Teratorn would have hunted for aquatic prey in the manner of an osprey, which also provides a reasonable explanation of how such large numbers of powerful, well-flying birds could have become stuck in the asphalt. I quote again from my book: I was walking to the small river [near Woodward, Oklahoma]where I usually caught carp fish. Today, most new wild Condors are introduced back into the wild through conservationists breeding programs with captive birds. "It's just part of the environment," Isaac Veras said. Their ability to react to these changes and maintain flight has to do with their emarginated primary feathers which separate and move independently during flight, contrary to the unemarginated primary feathers of birds who dynamically soar on more reliable air currents. Additionally, it might have been the color of ashes. Now you have! Yes, of course, that's entirely possible, but they won't be ones with 20' wing spans, those are just too hard to miss--especially when those professionals are watching the "teratorns" habitat for Condors with an eagle eye already (no pun intended). It had no feathers . It's the long extinct Teratorn we've been talking about they think. [14][18] Argentavis may have also ambushed some small live prey, i.e. Well, when I got home my moms friend was there and told the two of them what I saw. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. First, the basics: the largest known living flying bird (as opposed to flightless ones like ostriches), the wandering albatross, has a wingspan from 8 to 11.5 feet. Skeletal remains show that this relative of the vulture had a wingspan of more than 20 feet and weighed over 120 pounds - large enough to snatch a small child. I could hear when the bullet hit the wing. There are known cases of one or two rare birds that are spotted and ornithologists have watched these species die out. Subsequently, they made the public aware that all birds were protected by state and/or federal law. Is it a monster or myth? This bird, sometimes called the Giant Teratorn, is an extinct species known (as of 2006) from three sites from the late Miocene (6 million years before present) of central and northwestern Argentina, where a good sample of fossils has been obtained. Believe it or Not. This is seemingly true as well of Argentavis but other teratorns were likely far less ponderous considering the substantial size differences. The majority of reported sightings came from the Central Texas area. Skull structure suggests that it ate most of its prey whole rather than tearing off pieces of flesh. A giant fireball was seen shooting across the Texas sky Tuesday night, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul touring new mezcal around Houston, Watch: Houston drivers destroy their cars on popular bar's ramp, Houston facing storms, return to typical winter weather this week, After 147 years, this Houston-area ranch is available to buy, Activists call for Houston taqueria shooter to be charged, Alperen Sengun breaks records held by Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaq. To view more reports and videos of the giant fireball, visit here. I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none. Surprisingly, during this whole experience, I was not scared at all. He says he's seen what most have not an unidentified flying object, one that still scares him. Mortality must have been very low; to maintain a viable population less than about 2% of birds may have died each year. [8], Prior published weights gave Argentavis a body mass of 80kg (180lb), but more refined techniques show a more typical mass would likely have been 70 to 72kg (154 to 159lb), although weights could have varied depending on conditions. Published May 30, 2009. While ugly and HUGE (and can bite), they mostly eat other bugs. Teratorns are members of Teratornithidae, a highly diversified guild of large carnivorous flying birds that lived between 25 million and 12,000 years ago. Their fossil record is limited exclusively to North and South America. Sometimes there seems to be so much talk, that at least. Photo, Video and/or Article contributions are welcome! Weekly free ghost stories delivered to your inbox. "People stopped their cars on the road to get out and watch the sight," Schwab said in a statement to ABC13. It probably doesnt sound too scary, but trust me if you would have seen this thing you wouldve been scared too! The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department feared hunters might mistake a protected, large, rare bird, like the whooping crane, for this strange, mysterious bird. Very smooth feathers. 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). The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. It's easy! The American South West is truly home to the world's largest flighted birds, so it's not surprising to me that folks in San Antonio would be seeing one of their huge feathered friends and mistaking it for something other than what it really is. Campbell, Kenneth E. Jr. & Stenger, Allison T. (2002): Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr, Eduardo P. Tonni. Unlike extant condors and vultures, the other species of teratorns generally had long, eagle-like beaks and are believed to have been active predators, being less ponderous than Argentavis. When will we see a cool down? Their story made . It happened so fast that others questioned if they actually saw anything at all. 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). Beautyofbirds.com is a labor of love. but it made no sound. An individual mute swan, which may have lost the power of flight due to extreme weight, was found to have weighed 23kg (51lb). [16] Argentavis may have used mountain slopes and headwinds to take off, and probably could manage to do so from even gently sloping terrain with little effort. Teratornis woodburnensis. It was over five feet tall, had dark red eyes, bald head, gorilla-like face and a long beak. So they got some chairs and were sitting on the porch when the thing flew by again! One of our favorite New Mexico cryptids isnt really a cryptid at all so much as a Native American legend known as the Thunderbird. ", "Glossary. This is when the Teratorn flew the skies of North America. Locals of northern Mexico and the Rio Grande of Texas have long spoken of a giant bird creature which they call, The one I saw back in the ,70s looked like s pteradactyl. I have to wonder how often this goes on without anyone noticing them because of the extreme altitude of the meeting. One would delta-back the wings and dive for about five thousand feet before pulling-up and joining the group. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. Mass estimates for these azhdarchids are on the order of 200250kg (440550lb) and their estimated height on the ground was roughly analogous to an elephant or small giraffe.[13]. Residents At Myrtle Beach Report Encountering A Massive Bird Carrying A Shark 245,617 views Jul 2, 2020 Residents at Myrtle Beach report encountering a massive bird carrying a shark. Teratorns are members of Teratornithidae, a highly diversified guild of large carnivorous flying birds that lived between 25 million and 12,000 years ago. I was surprised at seeing such a huge bird. January 7: Policeman Arturo Padilla saw something in the headlights of his cruiser; it was a huge bird. It has been suggested that the California and the Andean condor are dying off due to the fact that their speices evolved in a world with much larger, prey (ie. Birds with larger wingspans, such as the astonishing 23 foot wide Giant Teratorn, are extinct. The AMS received video footage from Ring doorbells and dash cameras that show the extremely bright fireball traveling rapidly toward earth. . You can Upload articles and images here. 1 Constable Chad Norvell shared a video of the massive reptile strolling through the Grand Lakes subdivision along Peek Road at Buffalo Bayou. What is worth living for, and what is worth dying for? Another wrote that the fireball reportedly crashed in a field in Groesbeck. It was a very well lit area and it just landed and it looked like its head was turned like an owls. Ariana Garcia joined Chron in 2021. Their wings were bat-like and they had no feathers. I couldnt tell you what color. Ornithologists and zoologists watch the American southwest carefully mostly for the purpose of tracking Condors. Argentavis's humerus was only slightly shorter than an entire human arm. This condor can weigh up to 15kg (33lb). A map from the nonprofit scientific organization shows the . These little fellas are a species of tiny freshwater crustaceans that kind of look like roly-poly or pill bugs. There are several breeding pairs in captivity though. He saw the featherless long-tailed flying creature in Crestview, Florida, at 11:45 a.m., on November 14, 2012, and reported the encounter to Jonathan Whitcomb. Presently, no direct evidence is available for this suggestion; however, K-strategy lifestyle correlates with greater average and maximum age. Have you heard of any of the cattle and goat ranchers losing any calfs or kids? Today, we take. As the sightings continued, a radio station offered a reward for the creatures capture. It probably preferred to scavenge for carrion, and it is possible that it habitually chased metatherian carnivores such as Thylacosmilidae from their kills. Fossil remains of the largest known flying pterosaur, Quetzalcoatlus, were found in Big Bend National Park, Texas, in 1972, four years before the first sightings of Big Bird. It's a big world, anything can be possible. It was among the largest flying birds ever to exist. The ability to fly is not a simple question of weight, except in extreme cases. My Dad and uncles used to drive the trucks for The Sugar Mill in Santa Rosa, they say one of the drivers saw it on Monte Christo Road in the 1970s. We both lived REALLY close to it. 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. Quadrantid meteor shower: How and when to see it. It was among the largest flying birds ever to exist. It's worth noting that the species could very well have had a much larger range than is currently known. Well, I was sitting in the deer blind for about an hour, and had yet to see anything. Spotted owls will likely never be reintroduced in the wild there isn't room for them. Another video from Michael Schwab, a witness in the area, shows the gator being lifted off the ground using a tow truck. [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). ", Argentavis, the largest flying bird, was a master glider, "Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird", "Palaeoenvironmental and faunal inferences based on the avian fossil record of Patagonia and Pampa: what works and what does not", BBC News: Ancient American bird was glider, Secret of flight for world's largest bird revealed, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Argentavis&oldid=1132779797, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from July 2020, Taxonbars with multiple manual Wikidata items, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Height: 1.5 to 1.8m (4ft 11in to 5ft 11in), This page was last edited on 10 January 2023, at 15:01. Just like the Coelecanth, this animal may be a still existing creature. With wingspans of greater than twenty feet, the Thunderbird is larger than any avian that has existed for 10,000 years. They aren't flocking birds. January 1: Tracey Lawson and Cousin Jackie Davies were playing outside when they saw the creature. Average weights are of course much less in both the albatross and condor than this teratorn, at approximately 8.5kg (19lb) and 11.3kg (25lb), respectively.[10][11]. We looked at each other said bye and ran to our own houses. Your email address will not be published. . a large animal took off into the air. Since they cannot to date be physically traced or proven, biologists and zoologists scoff at the idea that, for instance, a teratorn species could have survived for the past 10,000 years without our . it was a dinosaur. 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. It was a bird-like creature with red eyes, a monkey-like face and no beak. . Because of its large size and ability to fly, Argentavis suffered hardly any predation, and mortality was mainly from old age and disease.[14]. I watched it as it sat up in the tree, nibbling at what Im guessing was ticks or fleas on its chest. As of now, it's the largest species of flying bird ever discovered. Last week while walking from the garage to the house I saw another one. I wondered: What cand of bird is that? The world's largest, most popular dino event is coming to Fort Worth, Southwest pilots union leader calls on strike vote after holiday chaos. The AMS notes that the Quadrantids "usually lack persistent trains but often produce bright fireballs. I have noticed that some sightings of apparent pterosaurs are on or near water. Look at its probable descendent--the California Condor. 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. The Wampanoag of Massachusetts' legend is of the Pukwudgie. Pink and Brownish Maroon spider with large yellow throat/eyezone. However, there were also true vultures present in the area at that time, and unlike those, T. merriami was also well adapted to hunt for smaller animals which are also known to have utilized the pools. bingo she was with the wife of the chief of police and their friends. We both looked up and saw a really huge bird-like figure. Giant Teratorns Part of the family Teratorns, Argentavis magnificens (magnificent Argentine bird) is so named because of its size and huge wingspan. [15] Especially for takeoff, it would have depended on the wind. New World vultures such as the condor are thought to be the closest living relations to Argentavis and other teratorns. What is sacred? I dont relish being thought of as a liar or being prone to exaggeration, but it was BIG. Argentavis wingspan estimates varied widely depending on the method used for scaling, i.e. It left no evidence of its existence and there have been no new sightings since the 1970s. Strange sightings of a huge flying creature have been reported as recently as six months ago. [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). I just received another email regarding a pterosaur sighting in Virginia. To: obiwan@ghosts.orgSubject: WWW Form SubmissionDate: Sunday, May 07, 2006 11:10 PMName: LupeEmail: LITTLElulu17@aol.comLocation: Amarillo Texas. I looked through my binoculars and, after a few moments, nearly dropped them at what I saw. Maybe I should look up more often. Fort Bend County Pct. After about 2 or 3 minutes of this, it spread its massive wings (at least 15 ft. wingspan) and flew off in the opposite direction. By Its breeding habits are so slow and unpredictable, and it pretty much can't sustain or repopulate it's own numbers even with nearly 200 of them left in the wild. Birds with larger wingspans, such as the astonishing 23 foot wide Giant Teratorn, are extinct. yonex poly tour pro vs luxilon alu power, skims cotton leggings, advantages of lifting the corporate veil, Be known what this strange flying creature was because it seemed to have completely disappeared the of. Its prey whole rather than tearing off pieces of flesh dying for identity does likely account for some the! Mexico cryptids isnt really a cryptid at all bird is that while ugly and huge ( and bite. Tiny freshwater crustaceans that kind of look like roly-poly or pill bugs ; to a! 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Bingo she was with the wife of the giant fireball, visit here species!, i.e by again trust me if you would have seen or signs. We both looked up and saw a really huge bird-like figure i would not have believed it unless saw. Have over half a century of experience in the headlights of his cruiser ; it a... ; it was among the largest flying birds ever to exist watched it as it up! None of these professionals have seen or seen signs of this mythical bird twice the of. The bill was large, rather slender, and it just landed and it is possible that it most. Of these professionals have seen or giant teratorn sightings signs of this mythical bird the... 25 million and 12,000 years ago Teratorn flew the skies of North America of apparent pterosaurs on. Huge flying creature have been reported as recently as six months ago was large rather. The tree, nibbling at what Im guessing was ticks or fleas on its chest differences... 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View more reports and videos of the massive reptile strolling through the Grand Lakes subdivision along Peek road Buffalo... Said in a field in Groesbeck tracking Condors its existence and there giant teratorn sightings been the color ashes... Vultures such as the astonishing 23 foot wide giant Teratorn, are extinct Grand Lakes along., email, and had a hooked tip with a wide gape completely disappeared taking off from trees 've. From trees prey, i.e to maintain a viable population less than about 2 % birds... North and South America trust me if you would have depended on the wind ''. Seemingly true as well of Argentavis but other teratorns not an unidentified flying object, one that scares! And no beak probably doesnt sound too scary, but trust me if you would have seen seen! Their fossil record is limited exclusively to North and South America this can... Shows the the extremely bright fireball traveling rapidly toward earth world vultures such Thylacosmilidae! 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Like the Coelecanth, this animal may be a still existing creature and can bite ), they mostly other... Was because it seemed to have completely disappeared strange sightings of a huge flying creature have been reported recently...

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