Winged Humanoid in Chile
Reports of strange creatures always intrigue me, and even more so when they’re from an area that’s somewhat untapped in terms of accounts. South America for instance has some fascinating reports though many of them don’t make it to the west. Having spent time exploring the region, I can tell you there’s still a lot of unexplored territory when it comes to the unknown.
I have especially enjoyed my trips to Chile and my time there. The culture is rich, the people are warm and the attitude towards the mysterious is unique. Many accounts don’t get reported but those that do are usually taken seriously.
In 2008, a security guard reportedly encountered a weird flying creature in the city of Angol. The sighting terrified the man and left researchers with a puzzling account.
Angol is the capital city of the Malleco Province and is at the foot of the Nahuelbuta Mountain Range. The city is also next to the Vergara River.
The guard, Oscar Solar Valdebenito, was making his round at the Preventative Custody Center where he was employed. According to Valdebenito, he was walking the perimeter of the building with four guard dogs. Suddenly, a large, winged being flew down at the dogs. The canines were so frightened by the creature’s aerial attack that they ran from the scene howling.
The shocked guard watched as the creature flew up and landed on top of a 30-foot-tall metal pole. The creature’s weight caused the pole to shake.
According to Valdebenito, the winged creature was about four feet tall with a small head. The guard noted pointed ears on the creature’s head, skin that was dark gray and devoid of feathers or fur. The beast had two long wings that extended from its shoulders. While perched on the metal pole, the creature tucked its wings in like a bird would.
The witness was unable to see facial features so he could offer no details of eyes or nose. He did report that he observed two powerful lower legs and a pair of stubby arms just below the creature’s neck.
Valdebenito also stated that the creature emitted a sharp, loud squawking cry that reminded him of a loudspeaker’s crackle.
The security guard was terrified by the encounter and says that he was relived when the creature launched up and flew off over some low hanging power lines. In moments, it was out of sight.
The man promptly reported the incident to authorities. He told officials that during his encounter he saw a group of boys walking along the nearby railroad tracks. They too had spotted the winged creature, but they fled the area at the sight of the weird humanoid. Authorities were unable to locate any of the boys for further confirmation or details of their sighting.
What exactly did Valdebenito encounter? Was this a case of mistaken identity? Some speculate the guard merely saw a bird he was unfamiliar with. The largest bird found in Chile is the Andean Condor, a vulture with a ten-foot wingspan that can reach a weight of over thirty pounds and a body size of four feet.
While the physical description may sound like a close fit, Andean Condors are scavengers and feed on carrion, it’s highly unlikely that one would attack a group of guard dogs.
Additionally, the birds are distinctive in their appearance. Males of the species have a distinct white “collar” around their necks as well has white markings on their wings.
As with other large birds, in flight, their feathers are quite obvious. The witness in this case was clear in his statement that the creature had no feathers. Rather, its skin was dark gray. This of course sounds more bat like, but while Chile has some bat species, there’s nothing approaching the size and characteristics reported in this case.
Assuming Valdenbenito didn’t hoax the sighting (and there’s nothing to indicate he did), researchers are left with a puzzling account. Does an unknown flying creature lurk around the Chilean city? If so, why haven’t there been more reports?
Perhaps as more people become open to reporting their own strange encounters, we’ll see more incidents surface.
Until then, watch the sky!