Of course “dinosaur bird” is incorrect in a scientific sense, for a pterosaur is neither dinosaur nor bird. But an eyewitness like Patty Carson probably said something similar when she, as a child who had just seen a  live pterosaur in Cuba, reported her encounter to her family. In more recent years, a man in Richmond, Virginia, reported a “dinosaur bird” after he looked through a telescope; of course any critic can insinuate that the man had been drinking before he looked through that telescope, but critics probably said something similar about Galileo, after he looked through his telescope and then talked about four moons circling Jupiter.

A few months ago, the Houston Chronicle dismissed the possibility that any “dinosaur” is now flying in Texas, ending their newspaper article with, “I encourage Mr. Whitcomb to come to Marfa and spend six months there before he says anything more about dinosaurs.” The problem with that “encouragement” is simple: My press release that sparked the Houston Chronicle article said nothing about dinosaurs; it mentioned the possibility that Marfa Lights are caused by bioluminescent flying predators and that maybe those creatures are like the ropen of Papua New Guinea, which is believed by some to be a live pterosaur.

I don’t bemoan the popularity of “dinosaur bird” in place of “pterosaur,” for the correct word is hard to spell, as is “psychologist” (which is what some critics insinuate is needed for those of us who choose to promote the politically incorrect belief in live pterosaurs). I do regret that few newspapers publish anything that might seem to threaten official Western dogma about dinosaur and pterosaur extinction, what I call “universal extinctions.” I also regret that some skeptics resort to using the word “dinosaur” to ridicule those who promote the uncommon concept that some pterosaurs still live on this planet, however uncommon (and probably mostly nocturnal) those flying creatures may be.

Regardless of whether an eyewitness called a flying creature “dinosaur bird” or “pterodactyl” or “ropen,” the description the person gives of what was observed—that should determine how we interpret what was observed. Ridicule and official dogma should not be given first priority in evaluating sighting reports of live pterosaurs.

Dinosaur Birds, by any Other Name

Pterosaurs have been called “dinosaur birds” by some Americans, although “pterodactyl” is also common. From what we have learned from many fossils, those flying creatures used to be common. Not any more. But according to certain eyewitnesses, they are not extinct. According to certain cryptozoologists, they are alive but uncommon.

Four notable non-fiction cryptozoology books (with at least some emphasis on sightings of apparent living pterosaurs) are in print or available by publishing-on-demand. I list them here in order of Amazon sales for the combined months of May-June, 2010, with “market share” under the assumption that non-Amazon sales are similar and referring to these four books as if they’re the only ones with special emphasis on extant pterosaurs.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no cryptozoology book, as of July 1, 2010, primarily about living-pterosaur sightings around the world. Dinosaurs, Dead or Alive is about worldwide sightings, but dinosaurs, not pterosaurs, are the main topic; Searching for Ropens (second edition) is only about pterosaur sightings, but refers almost exclusively to the Southwest Pacific; Live Pterosaurs in America is only about pterosaur sightings, but relates only to the forty-eight states of the U.S.A.; Big Bird is about large flying creatures, be they bird-like or pterosaur-like, and emphasizes sightings in Texas.

Descriptions of these cryptozoology books are from Amazon.

Live Pterosaurs in America

LPA was by far the best-seller, with 47% of the sales for these four nonfiction books (Amazon.com sales for the combined months of May and June). On Amazon, it is categorized in Nature / Wildlife

Live “pterodactyls!” In the United States? Prepare for a shock if you thought they all died millions of years ago. In California, New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and many other states, eyewitnesses have been shocked by featherless creatures flying overhead. Many of the apparent living pterosaurs are much larger than any bat; Many have long tails; many have head crests. Where are the news headlines? How did living pterosaurs avoid the media spotlight? Rare and nocturnal, they have always lived here.

Big Bird

BB had 26% of the sales for these four non-fiction books.

A LEGEND ON LEATHER WINGS! The Indians called it the Thunderbird, a winged monster so vast that the beating of its mighty pinions sounded like thunder. But this ancient beast is not to be held in the cage of mythology. Today, from all over the dusty U.S. / Mexican border come hair-raising stories of modern day encounters with winged monsters of immense size and terrifying appearance.

Searching for Ropens, second edition

SFR-2 had 15% of the sales for these four non-fiction books.

Expanded second edition: An American flight instructor, an Australian psychologist, many natives on tropical islands, an Australian couple, a Baptist minister, a teenaged farm-boy–each saw a giant living pterosaur. Each was amazed, or terrified, or shocked by a brown or dark-colored featherless creature: long-tailed and with a wingspan as great as fifty feet.

Dinosaurs, Dead or Alive

DDA had 12% of the sales. (No Amazon.com description is available.)

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Cryptozoology Book

Living pterosaurs have been reported in the United States, for years. Astonishing! Eyewitnesses had been afraid to come forward, for the most part; now those who choose can remain anonymous and tell of their encounters. Read the many astonishing eyewitness sighting reports  by purchasing your own copy of this amazing nonfiction, yes NON-FICTION, book directly from the publisher: Live Pterosaurs in America, expanded third edition.

For the second edition of this book, one reader wrote the following review on Amazon: “I couldn’t put this book down. It is absolutely fascinating to read about eyewitness accounts of the people who have seen these creatures. To learn about these testimonies from such an open minded perspective is refreshing in the extreme! The way that our school systems and scientists alike are indoctrinated is sad. There is so much money out there being used for research, if only they would use it for good. I highly recommend this book to anyone! People should know the truth about what is going on. No one ever hears anything about this unless they conduct extremely specific internet searches, even then, information is minimal. Jonathan Whitcomb needs to write more books!” (review by “StrangeDream”)

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Some of the oldest web pages about reports of apparent living pterosaurs in Papua New Guinea are on the “laattorneyvideo” site. Although some of the pages may be a bit outdated, in places, they are worth a view:

Umboi Island Eyewitnesses

David Moke, of Opai Village, Umboi Island, was shocked at the bright flash lighting up the reef where he was fishing one night. . . . villagers of Umboi Island have seen the ropen light flying to or from the larger mountains . . . Gideon Koro related how he was terrified at the sight of the giant ropen that flew over Lake Pung . . .

What is a ropen?

It seems that at least two types of long-tailed modern pterosaurs live in the Southwest Pacific, although there may be sub-species variations. Reports of smaller creatures (under three meters wingspan) in the Manus Island area of Papua New Guinea might be juveniles of the same species as the larger creatures to the south. . . . Described like a Rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur, the ropen lives in some tropical areas of the southwest Pacific. . . . It’s main diet may be fish or other oceanic life that it catches at night with the aid of a bioluminescence that attracts fish. . . .

 Possible Ropen Off Indonesian Coast

In June of 2008 . . . flying a small twin-engined plane . . . saw what he at first assumed was another airplane flying in a head-on collision course. . . . avoided a collision by banking away from what he and his co-pilot thought was something like a “pterodactyl.”

Pterodactyls, Dinosaurs, and Dragons

Video of two indava lights . . . 2004 expedition (by Whitcomb and Kenda) . . . Opai Village . . . Bioluminescent organisms . . . Ropen of New Guinea . . .

A common objection to the idea of living pterosaurs is simply “they all became extinct millions of years ago.” But why should anyone believe that extinction idea? In Western countries, in particular the United States, universal extinctions of dinosaurs and pterosaurs is drilled into us from kindergarden onwards. No reasons for total extinction are offered, only continuous indoctrination. In fact, fossils do not prove extinctions.

We need to listen with open minds to eyewitnesses who have seen creatures that cannot easily be explained as non-pterosaurs. This will eventually free us to discover and classify modern living pterosaurs.

Third edition of Live Pterosaurs in America – true, nonfiction