The Chickcharney of Andros
In the pine forests of Andros, a three-toed creature with red eyes can turn its head all the way round. Treat it well, and your luck will turn.
What was reported
The chickcharney is a creature of Bahamian folklore that lives in the pine forests of Andros, the largest island in the Bahamas. It's described as an owl-like bird about a metre tall, with three toes, red eyes, and the ability to turn its head right around. It nests by joining the tops of two pine trees.
People who meet it with respect, it's said, will have good luck. Those who mock it or harm it will have their heads turned around, or suffer misfortune for the rest of their lives.
Explanations offered
The legend may have a real source. Andros was once home to a giant barn owl, Tyto pollens, about a metre tall, which probably hunted on the ground and may have survived until people arrived, perhaps only a few centuries ago. The chickcharney is now a symbol of Andros.
- When
- Told for generations
- Where
- Andros Island, Bahamas
- Witnesses
- Bahamian folklore
- Status
- Partly explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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