- is on the ground, not in the air;
- has fully spread wings;
- was shot from a low or awkward angle, with no clear scale guideline.
Such birds can have a wingspan of between 2 and 3 meters, which is quite real and well documented in ornithology. However, when such a bird is photographed near objects such as grass, sloping terrain or distant houses, our eye automatically "increases" its size.
Why does the photo look so shocking
The reason is not in the bird itself, but in the visual perspective. Without a person, a tree, or a car right next to it, our brains have nothing to compare the real size with. The outstretched wings create a silhouette that is reminiscent of something much larger than our usual perception of a bird.
Just such images are often used on the Internet with misleading titles and suggestions about "unknown", "mysterious" or "prehistoric" creatures, although there is no scientific evidence for this.
Is there anything out of the ordinary?
Nope.
Ornithologists have long emphasized that:
- there are no confirmed data on new giant birds of prey;
- such photos are almost always the result of shooting angle, light and lack of scale;
- The familiar large birds look surprisingly impressive when they are on the ground.
