ATTACK BY HUGE BIRD

No, this is no recent attack, we must go back to 1889 when a young sailor fell overboard from the ship Talisman in the Pacific, not far from the coast of Chile.  A huge bird appeared and flew off with him.  This gargantuan fowl was joined by another bird of similar proportions.  It attacked a sailor who had jumped into the water to rescue the teenager overboard.  At that moment the gallant Captain Putt opened fire.  He hit the first bird, which dropped the youngster.  A boat was lowered, which the second bird attacked, but it was at last driven off.  Everyone in the water was saved.

The first of the birds was captured with a lariat, but died.  It was supposedly left in Valparaiso for stuffing, but I have not traced its progress since then.

This puts us in mind of the North American thunderbird and its South American counterpart the xexeu, in which the Cashmawa Indians believe.  Is it possible that birds of such proportions can become airborne and what laws of physics allow them to do so.

Haida carving: thunderbird