'Bat-like' Flying Humanoid Seen Outside of the Owl Bar in Chicago

According to Lon Strickler of Phantoms and Monsters, he received another email this past week from a witness who claims to have seen a bat-like flying humanoid in Chicago's lakefront area.

"I recently received an email from a witness in Chicago, who stated that they wished to talk to me about a sighting he had on Friday June 30th at approximately 10:30 PM. The witness works security at a bar named 'The Owl' located in the 2500 block of N. Milwaukee Ave in Logan Square," said Strickler.

The witness states that he was outside the location, leaning against the wall while smoking a cigarette. He was alone at the time, except a few other people walking along the street. He noticed a large 'bat-like' creature flying above the street lights (approx. 60-70 ft away) over the lot across the street (in the photo below, you can see a building, which has been razed since). As the witness focused on the flying anomaly, he noticed that it was actually a bat-like humanoid. The body was 5 to 5 1/2 ft. in length and grayish in color (it was well-illuminated by the street lights). The head was human-like, but was much thinner and had a pointed crest extending from the back of it's head (similar to a pterosaur, but shorter). The head was turned away from the witness, so he could not see the eyes or face. The body tapered towards the back and it looked like there were short legs or appendages tucked underneath it, followed by a short rounded extension or tail. The wings had a full span of approximately 8-10 ft. and were attached along the body. The wings were a bat-like membrane, but heavy like that of a pterosaur. The witness noticed that the being flapped its wings to gain speed and height, then would glide. There was no sound. It was moving swiftly above the street lights across N. Milwaukee Ave., then burst upwards into the clouds. He was not sure if there were other witnesses, since the being flew by quickly.

We've replaced the photograph of the area from Phantoms and Monsters with our own captured Google street view, as it is a more recent picture and we feel it better captures the witness' view.

The Owl is clearly labelled in this photo, and you can see the empty lot across from where the witness was standing.

The witness claims to have left his phone inside of the bar to charge, and that he is "very upset he didn't have it because he would have had time to get a possible photo."  He also said that he did not feel any fear or foreboding, but that he was startled by the sighting.  

"The witness was very convincing, forthright and did not embellish during his account," said Strickler.

This brings the total number of sightings so far this year to 20.  All of the sightings have taken place in the lakefront area within a few miles of Lake Michigan.  The sightings generally take place in the evening or at night, often in or near a park, and witnesses consistently describe a large, bat-like creature with humanoid features.  So far no pictures or video have been forthcoming.

To report a sighting, reach out to us directly at The Singular Fortean Society through our contact page.

You can view a timeline of the sightings so far here, and an interactive map here.