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.

Conclusion

The photo is real, but its interpretation is often not: it does not show an unknown or monstrous appearance, but a reminder how easily a photograph taken out of context can create a sensation where there is none.

Instead of fear or speculation, such shots are a good occasion to remember how impressive nature is – even when it comes to its fully known and well-studied inhabitants.