BIG BIRD OR BIG FOOLISHNESS?

(Investigator 5, 1989 March)

Bigfoot; Loch Ness Monster; Alien Kidnappings; Ghosts; Yetis. Also hundreds of less famous terrors in the shadows!

Yes, monsters, monsters everywhere. But not one can be found!

Consider "Big Bird" Of Texas.

In February 1976 two giant somethings swooped over the car of a teacher in Southern Texas, USA. From school textbooks she identified the objects as prehistoric reptiles, similar to the Pteranodon, extinct for 60 million Years and which had a wingspan of 27 feet (8 metres).

Soon the Texas Parks & Wild Life Department (TPWLD) was getting reports of fresh sightings.

Police officers Arturo Padilla and Homer Galvan saw a giant bird separately within minutes of each other. Said Galvan: "It never did flap its wings." And its wingspread: "must have been at least twelve feet."

Alverico Guajardo of Brownsville shone his headlights onto a birdlike creature outside his mobile home at night for 15 minutes before it walked away.

A television station broadcast pictures of a one-foot (0.3 metre) bird footprint.

Speculation was rife. A prehistoric monster? An alien monster? Or was it imagination? Or a brown pelican? Or a recently escaped condor? Or a vulture?

Vultures and condors resemble each other. All three birds can reach wingspans of 9 feet (2½ metres).

A reward of $5,000 was offered and hunters fanned over the countryside.

Officials of TPWLD declared "Big Bird" an endangered species and feared that other large birds might be shot by mistake.

Months passed. No "Big Bird" was found, photographed, shot or confirmed. The excitement died.

(PD)

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