THUNDERBIRD CAPTURE?

Let us go back to 1870.  A huge bird, or at least a creature resembling a bird, was seen by James Pepples of Kentucky.  Having a gun to hand, he opened fire on the creature and wounded it.  Having wounded it, he captured the creature.  It was black.  The only other thing we know about it was that it was not an eagle.  Dimensions have not been given. However, because of the eagle comparison, I daresay it was not a flying reptile or bat.  There is no follow-up to this story.  Could it be that Mr Pepples kept a thunderbird captive for a while?  Who can say?  I can't.

Image courtesy Lon Strickler