Chickcharney

Chickcharney, Chickcharnie or Chickcharnee is a mythical and cryptozoological creature resembling a bird, specifically an owl, that lives in the forests of Andros Island in the Bahama Islands. According to some, it is furry, feathered, about 3 feet tall and is considered ugly looking. In common legend, if a traveler meets a chickcharney and treats it well, he/she will be rewarded with good luck. But, treating a chickcharney badly will result in bad luck and hard times. Sightings have continued into modern day.

Tyto pollens

It has been theorized by scholars that Chickcharney sightings and legends are rooted in reality. Tyto pollens was a 1 metre (3.3 ft) tall, flightless relative of the Barn Owl native to Andros, and closely fits eyewitness descriptions. It was rumored to survive until the 16th Century, until settlers felled the Eastern Andros Forests. However, since Tyto pollens was flightless, it was unlikely to need trees for shelter, and may still exist on the Western Half of Andros, explaining modern sightings.

See also

• The Lusca, another cryptid from Andros

References

• more on chickarnies
• Bahamian folklore