It was over five feet tall, had dark red eyes, bald head, gorilla-like face and a long beak. [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). 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. No legend here. Argentavis is an Avian from Late Miocene Argentina and the biggest flying bird ever. After a night of kicking back at my friends house my sister and I were walking to the car and my sister emphasized to get in the car fast. I actually think folks are seeing either a Golden Eagle, a Vulture or a Condor (the condor being the least likely, although not impossible) All three of those birds can have wingspans up to 15' but on average around 12'. I've made several posts about Thunderbirds on this forum and live in San Antonio and have never heard of any recent sightings. The first time was like in 2001. Dash cam footage captured the moment a fireball could be seen flying across the night sky in front of Lake Belton High School. I couldnt tell you what color. Some Giant Bird sightings were revealed as hoaxes or misunderstandings. Saw it in Edna!" megafauna) and that the species have limped along after food became more scarce. This is when the Teratorn flew the skies of North America. Beautyofbirds.com's team of experts includes veterinarians, biologists, environmentalists and active bird watchers. It may have flown and lived much like the modern Andean condor, scanning large areas of land from aloft for carrion. Their fossil record is limited exclusively to North and South America. All Rights Reserved. Two Missouri City residents found alligators on their porches in the past several weeks. No body would believe me. "People stopped their cars on the road to get out and watch the sight," Schwab said in a statement to ABC13. This species seems less well suited for predation aerodynamically than its relatives. Here, its said that the Navajo spirit witch known as Skinwalkers may roam (along with the rest of the desert southwest). ", Stargazing | A bright green comet not seen since the Ice Age visible in HoustonSpacecraft | NASA satellite crashes on Earth after orbiting our planet for 38 yearsClimate | NASA says 2022 was among the hottest years everand it's getting worseRoundup | The 10 most important things that happened in space in 2022. 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. It was a very well lit area and it just landed and it looked like its head was turned like an owls. 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." Not kill it. So, what about mythical creatures in New Mexico? Descriptions of the monster vary and range from some sort of wild dog-like animal to a hunched, walking reptile. Other than the above-mentioned New Mexico cryptids, beings, or paranormal sightings, there are far more. FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Residents strolling through a Cinco Ranch neighborhood Monday morning were joined by an unexpected guest -- an 11-foot long alligator. The Cinco Ranch gator isn't alone when it comes to recent sightings. It sounded like something flapping. Fort Bend County Pct. Giant Birds. . 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. The Giant Teratorn Argentavis magnificens was an absolutely enormous species of flying bird which lived in Argentina during the late Miocene, about six million years ago. I had spent countless hours as a child studying dinosaurs and playing with dinosaur models. With lots of local lore come lots of potential cryptid sightings, and honestly, were here for it. 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 may never be known what this strange flying creature was because it seemed to have completely disappeared. From Houston to Fort Worth, Texans across the state reported spotting a massive and bright light streaking across the night sky Tuesday. [3] The species apparently had stout, strong legs and large feet which enabled it to walk with ease. Since A. magnificens is known to have been a land bird, another good point of comparison is the Andean Condor, which is not too distantly related to Argentavis. . Other clips were sent in from Marble Falls, Grand Prairie, Spring, and Burleson. 5 min read. I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none. The big bird. This condor can weigh up to 15kg (33lb). Reptoids Reptilian Bipeds Cryptids or Space Aliens? 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. Pterosaur: This is the primary theory. I cant tell you how big it was but trust me it was huge! With luck, we may get some photos soon. Where do the Astros stack up in MLB Networks position rankings? Argentavis wingspan estimates varied widely depending on the method used for scaling, i.e. Climate considerations make it likely that the birds incubated over the winter, mates exchanging duties of incubating and procuring food every few days, and that the young were independent after some 16 months, but not fully mature until aged about a dozen years. Strange sightings of a huge flying creature have been reported as recently as six months ago. Very smooth feathers. 5 feet. Their story made . In fact, when we looked at them without the optics, they were BARELY visible. I remember towards the end of December I had decided to go hunting. . There are several breeding pairs in captivity though. 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. He says he's seen what most have not an unidentified flying object, one that still scares him. Size and structure of the wing must also be taken into account. For comparison, the living bird with the largest wingspan is the Wandering Albatross (3.63 m). Your email address will not be published. Their bite is non-venomous, but their spray can be caustic. I really don't think so. It was gliding, with an occasional slow, smooth flap. Turns out that the mysterious blazing sky phenomenonwas a fireball. A video of a large blue heron, native to Texas, was broadcast as that of Big Bird. It stood about 75 cm (29.5 in) tall with estimated wingspan of perhaps 3.5 to 3.8 metres (11.5 to 12.5 ft), and its weight has been estimated within the range of 12.5-15.0 kg with 95% confidence; making it about a third bigger than extant condors. If there is a major disaster around the area where it was seen, that would confirm it. Well, it was dark and we were just sitting there talking when we realized it was kind of late. We were never able to see where they went when they dispersed. They just seemed to disappear, then return. What are some creepy or weird New Mexico animals? Studies on condor flight indicate that Argentavis was fully capable of flight in normal conditions as modern large soaring birds spend very little time flapping their wings regardless of environment. Get more stories delivered right to your email. Today, most new wild Condors are introduced back into the wild through conservationists breeding programs with captive birds. Only the last species lives in the United States; other large U.S. birds include bald eagles and golden eagles. Analysis of the skull and bill shapes suggests that fish may have constituted a major part of its diet. I was like in 8th grade and me and my friend were at the park. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul are bringing their latest project to Houston, Houston drivers are smashing their cars on the ramp at this popular downtown bar, Tigner Ranch near Houston listed for $8.8M after 147 years in same family, Activists want man who killed Houston taqueria robber to be charged, Rockets' Alperen Sengun breaks records held by Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaq, Where the Houston Astros stack up in MLB Networks position rankings, Cricut is cutting some great deals for National Craft Month, Dont miss the Tory Burch Semi-Annual Sale, Where to buy tickets to the Elton John farewell concert, New Chrome extension can save you hundreds. Condors fly by means of soaring on rising up-currents, generally weak currents that are subject to sudden changes in direction or strength. 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 . Canceled | Southwest apologized for ruining Christmas. 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. Smacks of a possible Mothman type sighting. This thing was huge, Im talking about 6 ft. tall. The Wampanoag of Massachusetts' legend is of the Pukwudgie. had a long neck and wide wings just like in the movies or in books. wrote Sarah Jane Zamora-Rivera from Gonzales, Texas. It probably preferred to scavenge for carrion, and it is possible that it habitually chased metatherian carnivores such as Thylacosmilidae from their kills. Live Pterosaur Sightings in Virginia. Argentavis magnificens ("magnificent Argentine bird", or more literally "magnificent silver bird") is one of the largest flying birds ever known, possibly surpassed in wingspan only by the recently discovered Pelagornis sandersi. New Mexico, youre creepy. The ability to fly is not a simple question of weight, except in extreme cases. he wasnt the only one who had seen it. Their wings were bat-like and they had no feathers. Spotted owls will likely never be reintroduced in the wild there isn't room for them. Stroud's announcement means for the Texans. 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). These evil creatures of Navajo lore are said to be powerful witches who can secretly assume the shape of animals, like coyotes, crows, foxes, owls, and wolves. Anyways, my father and I fish and hunt all the time. Well, that was my story. Might be rare, but not impossible. Skull structure suggests that it ate most of its prey whole rather than tearing off pieces of flesh. The climate of the Andean foothills in Argentina during the late Miocene was warmer and drier than today, which would have further aided the bird in staying aloft atop thermal updrafts. Because of its large size and ability to fly, Argentavis suffered hardly any predation, and mortality was mainly from old age and disease.[14]. [3] However, skeletal evidence suggests that its breast muscles were not powerful enough for wing flapping for extended periods. Another mythical creature or spirit said to roam the deserts of New Mexico includes the Mexican banshee known as La Llorona, and then theres El Coco, a boogeyman-type of character said to abduct children at night. So, what about, With lots of local lore come lots of potential cryptid sightings, and honestly, were here for it. The study of hidden or unclassified animals---that is cryptozoology. View: Full Article | Source: My San Antonio, it might be a thunderbird like said in the story. If you would like to correct or update any of the information, please contact us. I was afraid it would eat me. [8][4][9] Argentavis retains the title of the heaviest flying bird known still by a considerable margin, for example Pelagornis weighed no more than 22 to 40kg (49 to 88lb). A map from the nonprofit scientific organization shows the bulk of the reports came from Central Texas. Last week while walking from the garage to the house I saw another one. 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). 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. Love New Mexico? Many of the sightings take place in Texas, but these gigantic animals have also been spotted in Australia, Alaska, Alabama, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, and other places. We were tubing [inner-tube] in the river, some time in the morning or early afternoon. I know what I saw.. A map from the nonprofit scientific organization shows the . he came in shook up. The American Meteor Society (AMS) said it received 146 reports about a fireball seen over Texas and Oklahoma around 6:45 p.m. CT Tuesday. What could these birds be? Another form, "Teratornis" olsoni, was described from the Pleistocene of Cuba, but its affinities are not completely resolved; it might not be a teratorn, but has also been placed in its own genus, Oscaravis. It is probable that it used thermal currents as well. Other than the above-mentioned, This Tiny Restaurant In New Mexico Always Has A Line Out The Door, And Theres A Reason Why, Get Away From It All Each Month Of The Year With These 12 Magnificent Escapes In New Mexico, The Most Epic Indoor Playground In New Mexico Will Bring Out The Kid In Everyone, The Best Burgers In New Mexico Are Served At This Iconic Hole-In-The-Wall Restaurant, The Creepy Small Town In New Mexico With Insane Paranormal Activity, 10 Urban Legends In New Mexico To Keep You Awake At Night, 9 Spine-Tingling Hauntings Said To Be True In New Mexico, Heres What Life In New Mexico Looked Like In 1935. This species seems less aerodynamically suited for predation than its relatives. Till this day I still dont know what it was but I sure would like to find out! I have to wonder how often this goes on without anyone noticing them because of the extreme altitude of the meeting. 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. Argentavis may have used its wings and size to intimidate metatherian mammals and small phorusrhacids from their kills. Alternative viewpoints note that many old world vultures possess large bills, and a longer bill is a common feature among scavenging raptors, as this allow them to probe deeper into large carcasses - larger than those fed upon by active-hunting raptors. It is theorized that the Teratornis primarily inhabited cliff terrain, where it could take off and soar through the air easily.[7]. 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. Their fossil record is limited exclusively to North and South America. Ornithologists and zoologists watch the American southwest carefully mostly for the purpose of tracking Condors. Another wrote that the fireball reportedly crashed in a field in Groesbeck. There is a lot of area in the Texas hill country around San Antonio like the Devil's Backbone up by San Marcos ,Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and other places for a large bird to live,with only catlle ranchers or sheep and goat ranches around but few homes. These little fellas are a species of tiny freshwater crustaceans that kind of look like roly-poly or pill bugs. Its a little late. Thunderbird: Open to speculation because these birds, most often sighted from Pennsylvania to the northern Midwest, have been said to resemble teratorns and pterodactyls. They were the first flying reptiles and had vertebrae. Campbell, Kenneth E. Jr. & Stenger, Allison T. (2002): Kenneth E. Campbell, Jr, Eduardo P. Tonni. Its believed they became extinct sixty-five million years ago. Emotional support alligator spotted cooling off in Philadelphia's Love Park, Impressively-sized gator spotted in Missouri City by man attempting to install windows, Missouri City restaurant owner wrangles alligator spotted on front porch while taking kids to school. .. In the early 1940s, writer Robert R. Lyman spotted a Thunderbird sitting on a road near Coudersport, Pennsylvania. 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. It is probable that it used thermal currents as well. Teratorns are members of Teratornithidae, a highly diversified guild of large carnivorous flying birds that lived between 25 million and 12,000 years ago. The true warrior enters the arena with all his powers at the ready. They were much higher than the Cessna-type small planes that fly around here. No one can entirely agree upon what exactly it is. Additionally, it might have been the color of ashes. my mother was outside one day and thought she saw a small plane flying overhead. 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. 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. To view more reports and videos of the giant fireball, visit here. The image that the teacher found depicted a pterosaur. [3], On the other hand, their flight was similar to that of condors. Fort Bend County Pct. bingo she was with the wife of the chief of police and their friends. It probably doesnt sound too scary, but trust me if you would have seen this thing you wouldve been scared too! I stared at the back part of the head because it was exactly like the ones depicted in books. So, here are some creepy things in New Mexico that might just surprise you someday: Have you run into any of these ghastly New Mexico urban legends? RELATED: Emotional support alligator spotted cooling off in Philadelphia's Love Park. Many Teratorn bone samples contributing to modern research have been found at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, California. Relationships BELTON, Texas The American Meteor Society (AMS) says it began receiving reports of fireball sightings across Texas and Oklahoma on Tuesday, Jan. 10 around 6:45 p.m. This is seemingly true as well of Argentavis but other teratorns were likely far less ponderous considering the substantial size differences. Teratorns - The Monster Birds 188,577 views May 10, 2020 7.8K Dislike Share Save Ben G Thomas 543K subscribers Millions of years ago giant birds of prey ruled the Americas - the Teratorns.. We went inside and just sat there for a minute. Not sure about what species it is. Giant birds called teratorns (or wonder birds) once flew over New Mexico. 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. my mother spoke up and asked if it was a big bird. Was a grey-brown color. As a rule of thumb, a wing loading of 25kg/m2 is considered the limit for avian flight. I hope to get more details soon. He's huge! As of now, it's the largest species of flying bird ever discovered. So they got some chairs and were sitting on the porch when the thing flew by again! Its a little late.Vibes | Houston's hottest party is a secret moving disco with one ruleBallots | More Harris County GOP candidates move to overturn electionsNews | Two new evening anchors will be joining KHOULege | These new laws go into effect in Texas on January 1. The bill was large, rather slender, and had a hooked tip with a wide gape. 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. Thunderbird of Crytozoology. "It's just part of the environment," Isaac Veras said. Just a stab in the dark you wouldn't be thinking of terror birds would you? Presently, no direct evidence is available for this suggestion; however, K-strategy lifestyle correlates with greater average and maximum age. Southwest apologized for ruining Christmas. I went to my knees so that it would not see me. In fact, some studies of skull morphology indicated that the T.merriami were incapable of tearing pieces of flesh off of carcasses in the manner of condors. Maybe I should look up more often. Compounding the mystery is that reports are often clustered around a place and time (perhaps the most famous of these being the Big Bird sightings in Texas in the 1970s) and then either abruptly or gradually peter out. I agree that the man may have exaggerated his story after seeing something like a condor or vulture. . You'll receive your first newsletter soon! In 2008, two men, Rick Dyer and Matthew Whitton, claimed to possess a frozen body of a Bigfoot specimen. Are there any mythical creatures in New Mexico? It's possible that this fireball was connected to The Quadrantids meteor shower that is said to be active until Jan. 16., but that connection is not clear yet. Norvell tweeted with a photo of the gator tied up in the bed of a truck. regression analyses or comparisons with the California condor. The AMS received video footage from Ring doorbells and dash cameras that show the extremely bright fireball traveling rapidly toward earth. Phorusrhacids were probably the most formidable rivals that Argentavis faced, with the largest species weighing about three times as much as the teratorn. St. James Hotel, 617 S Collison Ave, Cimarron, NM 87714, USA. For the latest and best fromChron,sign up for our daily newsletter here. The furor faded when sightings ceased. This ape-like monster, frequently sighted in the Pacific Northwest, and elsewhere across the U.S., is rumored to be hanging out in the Valles Caldera. In 1988, the springs dried up and the isopods died. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Please send all questions and comments to obiwan@ghosts.org. Only the last species lives in the United States; other large U.S. birds include bald eagles and golden eagles. Might scientists find previously unknown species of birds? Beautyofbirds.com is a labor of love. It looked like an oversize buzzard. he said he had seen something weird and was afraid to guess what it was. Although a creature such as the thunderbird may exist, its numbers are low and probably located in more unreachable areas. What kinds of eerie New Mexico cryptids are there? Nevertheless, people in modern times have reported sightings of huge birds whose wingspans easily surpass any known living species. Sometimes there seems to be so much talk, that at least. 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. 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. [14][18] Argentavis may have also ambushed some small live prey, i.e. Its status was recently reinforced when it was highlighted on the 1998 Yorkshire Television/Discovery Channel series on cryptids, Into the Unknown. The video showed the gator walking slowly along a fence in the neighborhood. It has been estimated that the minimal velocity for the wing of A. magnificens is about 11 m/s or 40km/h.
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