'Owl Man' Reported on Chicago's South Side

Investigator Lon Strickler of Phantoms and Monsters spoke to two eyewitnesses via telephone last night regarding the sighting of an "owl man" in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago.  The phone call took place at approximately 9:50 p.m., according to Strickler, just under an hour and a half after the sighting.

On Tuesday April 10, 2018 at 8:30 PM CT (local time) a woman and her partner were in the area of S. University Ave. & E. 72nd St. (Woodlawn community) picking up their daughter, when they both noticed a huge dark winged being gliding overhead. The being was at an approximate altitude of 50 ft. or so, swiftly gliding north towards downtown Chicago. They watched the being until it was shielded by trees. The area was well-lit by the street lights. It made no sound and never flapped its wings.

The witnesses described the creature as an "owl man," said Strickler, and they insisted it could be no normal bird or flying device.

Both witnesses agreed and described the being as an 'owl man' with a wingspan of 'at least' 15 ft. and a thin human-like body of approximately 6 ft. in length. The could not see a head, but did notice appendages underneath. The wings were shaped like an owl, which the witnesses have seen in the neighborhood. They emphatically stated that this 'was not' an owl or any other bird. They are well aware of blue herons and sandhill cranes since they are both lifelong residents of the Chicago metro area, and that there 'no chance' that this was one of those creatures.

"I asked the witnesses if they thought if it could have been a flying device or drone. Both confidently stated that this was a living being and not mechanical," Strickler added.

The witnesses found Strickler through Google, he said, and appeared genuinely nervous and confused.

"As soon as they arrived home (which was less than a block from where they observed the being) they Googled 'human bird in Chicago' and my contact information was the result of the search," Strickler said.  "Both seem nervous and confused by what they saw and asked what I knew about this winged being. Neither witness was aware of the previous sightings in the Chicago metro area since early 2017."

The location of the sighting is bordered to the north by Oak Woods Cemetery, and is around two miles west of Lake Michigan.

This is the latest in a string of flying creature sightings reported in the Chicago area.  Most of the sightings have taken place near the lakefront within a few miles of Lake Michigan, although there are some reports coming from the suburbs surrounding Chicago and even farther afield.  The sightings generally take place in the evening or at night, often in or near a park, and around water.  Witnesses consistently describe a large, bat or bird-like creature, although in a small number of cases the creature was described as insect-like; and humanoid features such as arms and legs are often reported.  Many of the sightings are also of something seen only briefly or are described only as a flying creature with few details, which leaves open the possibility that a large bird or bird-like being could explain some encounters. 

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.