A Timeline of the Lake Michigan Mothman Sightings So Far
There have been dozens of reported sightings of large, flying creatures in the Chicago and greater Illinois area—as well as Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, and Wisconsin—dating as far back as the late 1950s. These sightings have been reported out of chronological order, so we've put together a timeline of the reports with links to the articles that describe them, in order to help you contextualize the sightings.
One witness came forward with her own timeline of personal sightings, ranging from 1970 through 2017, available here.
A man in Indiana near the Prairie Creek Reservoir has also spoken to the Singular Fortean Society about a series of glowing orb sightings from 1981 to 2020 that could be related to the Lake Michigan Mothman phenomenon.
A map of the sightings, compiled by Lon Strickler, is available here.
The current timeline:
Early winter, 1957—Gerald Turrise reports seeing a “winged creature” with “the body of a large man” while out hunting as a young man in Braidwood, Illinois. UE; TSFS
October 27th, 1969—Floyd Hancock is said to have been abducted from his home as a young child for an indeterminate amount of time by a “tall, winged humanoid” before being returned. UE; P&M
Fall of 1971—Retired police officer David Ramos reports an encounter with a shadowy winged humanoid he had when he was 12 years old near the North Branch of the Chicago River. UE; TSFS
Mid-June, 1976—A man’s vehicle is reportedly attacked by a winged “black figure” with “glowing red eyes” in Waukegan, Illinois. UE; TSFS
1981—A 13-year-old claims to have had an intense psychic encounter with a red-eyed winged being in Cicero, Illinois. UE; P&M
1987—A man in rural Indiana reports a sighting of a "human-like" flying creature with "glowing red eyes" that sparks a decades-long series of encounters. UE; TSFS
1997—Separate witnesses report frightening winged gargoyles in Rock Island and Naperville, Illinois. UE; P&M
1999—A woman, along with her husband and a girlfriend, report a flying, red-eyed “gargoyle” in Rockford, Illinois. UE; P&M/TSFS
Summer of 2000—Two friends report a weird, winged entity at the Goshen Dam in Indiana. UE; P&M
June 21st, 2001—A witness and two friends report a "man with wings" flying over the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee. UE; P&M
September 8th, 2001—A woman reports four red-eyed, winged humanoids flying over her home in Berwyn, Illinois. UE; TSFS
January of 2002—A woman reports a terrifying encounter with a red-eyed, winged creature in Madison, Wisconsin. UE; TSFS
Summer of 2002—A teenager reports a “gargoyle” with feathered wings in Babcock, Wisconsin. UE; P&M/TSFS
October of 2002—A woman reports a winged humanoid swooping over her car on the same road where, two years earlier, she had seen a diamond-shaped UFO. UE; P&M
Summer of 2003—A young woman and her friend report an “owlman” outside the window of her house in Alsip, Illinois. UE; P&M
2004—A 12-year-old boy and his friends report a winged man “all in black” near Panther Creek in Auburn, Illinois. UE; P&M
August of 2004—A woman reports an "all black…man with huge bat-like wings" flying over the park near her home in Rockford, Illinois. LB; P&M
July of 2006—A woman and her family report a "man with bat-like features" flying near their vehicle while driving in southern Wisconsin. UE; P&M
August of 2006—A man and his son report a “large, dark being” with “cape-like wings” in Bensenville, Illinois. UE; P&M
Summer of 2007—Two friends report a flying humanoid with “glowing yellow-ish eyes” at Prairie Creek Reservoir in Indiana. UE; P&M
Late July, 2008—A man reports seeing a winged creature with “human proportions” while traveling with his husband and a friend in northeastern Illinois. UE; TSFS
August of 2008—A witness reportedly sees a “big, gray humanoid creature with big wings” while attending a bonfire in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin. UE; P&M
Early spring 2010—A man reports a “four-and-a-half-foot dark-colored entity perched on the peak of his neighbor's roof.” UE; P&M
Late summer of 2010—Two teens report seeing a winged "deerbat" while driving outside of Rockford, Illinois; a second sighting of something described as a “flying tar man” reportedly took place nearby around the same time. UE; TSFS/P&M
2011—A suspicious winged entity is captured on camera, two roommates and their friends are reportedly terrorized by glowing eyes peeking through their window, and a college student reports a "man with wings." UE; UFOCH
September 5th, 2011—A man reportedly followed a creature with "bat-like wings, a small bulbous head and what seemed to be 'tentacles' extending from behind it" that he’d seen flying over the Jackson Park Highlands neighborhood in Chicago. UE; P&M
Fall of 2011—A man and his brother-in-law report a “humanoid” with “bat-like wings” near Downers Grover, Illinois. UE; P&M
Winter of 2011—A woman reports seeing a flying humanoid with “greenish yellowish-like eyes” while driving near the Prairie Creek Reservoir in Indiana. UE; P&M
Summer of 2012—A witness driving towards the Indianapolis International Airport in Indiana reportedly almost collides with a “bat-like” being with “little red eyes.” UE; P&M
2014—A man reportedly comes home from work to find a "Mothman-type insectoid" staring at his apartment building. UE; P&M
Summer of 2014—A man claims to have seen “a purplish-colored humanoid figure about six feet tall with wings” near Greensburg, Indiana. UE; P&M
November 26th, 2014—A Fire and Rescue officer and his partner report a “green-eyed, winged humanoid” in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. UE; P&M
August of 2015—A man driving in Gary, Indiana reports a dark, grayish “prehistoric bird” with smooth, leathery skin. LB; TSFS
November 1st, 2015—A woman reports a “crow man” hovering over a high-rise near Chicago’s Washington Park. UE; P&M
Early summer 2016—A woman reports seeing a “prehistoric bird” after dropping her kids off at school in Gary, Indiana. LB; P&M/TSFS
June of 2016—A woman reports a “huge, winged humanoid” flying over the Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. UE; P&M
August of 2016—A man reports a large, winged humanoid perched on a lamppost in Cicero. UE; P&M
August of 2016—Jonathan Lane reports a “giant, shapeless, black thing” with “two very large red eyes” in Rockford, Illinois. UE; TSFS
August of 2016—A man driving in Gary, Indiana has his second reported sighting of a dark, grayish “prehistoric bird” with smooth, leathery skin. LB; TSFS
August 21st, 2016—USPS union official Joseph Palau reportedly sees the “Chicago Mothman” outside of his hotel window while visiting Chicago for a convention. UE; P&M
Late September of 2016—A woman reports a "man-like" being with "pterodactyl-like" wings gliding across a highway outside of Whitewater, Wisconsin. LB; P&M
Mid-November of 2016—A man and his son report a large, dark flying humanoid while duck hunting in West Alton, Missouri. UE; P&M
February 8th, 2017—A man driving on interstate 294 reports seeing what he thinks is a person turn into a large black bird. LB; P&M
March 16th, 2017—A witness reports a large, winged being perched on top of a roof in the Tinley Park suburb of Chicago. LB; P&M
March 22nd, 2017—A semi truck driver reports suffering from strange medical maladies after spotting a flying humanoid soaring over a Chicago expressway. UE; P&M
April 10th, 2017—A woman walking her dog in Chicago's Oz Park reports a run-in with a paralyzing winged being. UE; UFOCH
Mid-April 2017—A man reports seeing a humanoid "bat-dragon" near Mukwonago, Wisconsin. UE; P&M/TSFS
April 15th and April 16th, 2017—Three separate witnesses report seeing an unidentified flying humanoid over Chicago. LB, PH; MUFON
April 17th, 2017—A woman reports a hulking, hunched-over, winged being across the street as she takes the garbage out that morning. UE; TSFS
April 27th, 2017—A man fishing with his son on the banks of the Little Calumet in Chicago reportedly sees a weird winged being after hearing an eerie, unexplained sound. LB; UFOCH
May 5th, 2017—A man and his son report a bat-like creature while out walking in Calumet Park. LB; UFOCH
Within a week of the May 5th sighting—A family walking along the riverfront reportedly sees a flying humanoid cross over the William P. Fahey bridge. LB; UFOCH
May 19th, 2017—A group of friends report two giant bats performing aerial maneuvers near Adler Planetarium. LB; P&M
May 27th, 2017—A married couple reports a large, black, bat-like creature with glowing red eyes near the intersection of North Wrightwood Avenue and North Lakeview Avenue. UE; UFOCH
Also on May 27th, 2017—A woman and her boyfriend report a "large black flying man with wings" near 127th St. & Ashland Ave. LB; P&M
June 3rd, 2017—Two different couples report encounters with a large, bat-like flying humanoid in the Lincoln Park area. UE; P&M/UFOCH
June 17th, 2017—A jogger near the Navy Pier reports an enormous bat taking wing and flying towards the water treatment plant. LB; UFOCH
June 23rd, 2017—A couple, along with a crowd of people, reportedly sees a large, black, bat-like creature with humanoid features near the Adler Planetarium. A second report received in early July corroborates the sighting details of this report. LB; P&M
June 29th, 2017—A police officer, along with the officer's partner and a group of civilians, reportedly sees a "dark black shadow with wings" standing atop a building before taking flight in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood of Chicago. An aspiring journalist later comes forward to corroborate the officer's story. PH; UFOCH
June 30th, 2017—A security person taking a break outside of The Owl reports a bat-like humanoid flying over an empty lot across the street. LB; P&M
July 1st, 2017—A witness reports two strange, red lights in a golf course that closely resemble reports of the flying humanoid's glowing eyes. UE; P&M
July 20th, 2017—A car full of friends on Lake Shore Drive report a "giant flying bat." LB; UFOCH
July 24th, 2017—A man reports an insect-like flying humanoid taking flight from near the top of Willis Tower. LB; P&M
July 27th, 2017—A person headed home from work reports a large, bat-like creature perched atop a light pole. UE; UFOCH
July 29th, 2017—Two friends report a "huge black shape" gliding over the Albany Park/Lincoln Square area. LB; UFOCH
August 1st, 2017—A witness reports a flying humanoid over Elgin, Illinois. LB; UFOCH
August 2nd, 2017—A woman and her son are reportedly terrified by a "tall, dark humanoid" with membranous wings seen in a park near their home in Bolingbrook, Illinois. UE; P&M
August 4th, 2017—A woman and her husband photograph a "giant bat" in Melrose Park. On the same day, a witness walking with their children reports a similar creature in River Forest. LB; UFOCH/MUFON
August 6th, 2017—Two concertgoers report a bat-like flying humanoid with glowing red eyes in Grant Park following the Chicago Lollapalooza. UE; UFOCH
August 9th, 2017—A couple are reportedly startled by a "large winged being...with bright red eyes" flying over Lake Shore Drive. UE; P&M
August 10th, 2017—A city employee reports a "giant owl" flying off of Chicago's Ohio Street Beach. LB; UFOCH
August 21st, 2017—A woman and her friends report a "large black bat" with "humanoid features" in Chicago just prior to the solar eclipse. LB; UFOCH
August 21st, 2017—A second sighting of a shadowy flying humanoid reportedly occurs in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. LB; P&M
August 22nd, 2017—A truck driver reports a large winged being with "thick glistening hair" flying over the Chicago suburb of McCook. UE; P&M
August 22nd, 2017—A monstrous bat with a 12' wingspan is reported in the same area of McCook as the truck driver's sighting from the same day. LB; P&M
August 22nd, 2017—A bat-like "flying Mothman" is reported over Pulaski Road in Chicago. LB; TSFS
August 27th, 2017—A retired police officer reports a "dark gargoyle" with red eyes in the Forest Park neighborhood. UE; P&M
August 28th, 2017—A delivery driver reports a "large man with wings" flying over the same area of McCook as the sightings reported on August 22nd. LB; P&M
August 29th, 2017—An avid bird watcher reports a "huge flying shadow" over a forest preserve near La Grange Park, a suburb west of Chicago. LB; P&M
Late summer, 2017—A woman in Rockford, Illinois reports a “tall and dark” humanoid with huge wings taking flight from a neighbor’s yard about a block away. UE; P&M
September 7th, 2017—A family visiting Lincoln Park Zoo reports a "large creature with a giant set of wings" flying over them. LB; UFOCH
September 9th, 2017—A group of friends reports a "black demon with large wings" in Chicago's Little Village. UE; UFOCH
September 10th, 2017—Two witnesses report an unknown being gliding across the sky several miles away from each other in the Avalon Park and Douglas neighborhoods of Chicago. LB; P&M
September 11th, 2017—A woman reports a "huge bat-like being" circling buildings over Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood. LB; P&M
September 12th, 2017—A woman walking home from work reports a "black devil" in Chicago's Little Village. UE; UFOCH
September 16th, 2017—A pair of siblings are reportedly terrified by a bat-like creature in the Little Village. LB; UFOCH
mid-September, 2017—A man preparing for work in Michigan reports a large, winged being perched atop his neighbor's roof. LB; P&M
September 23rd, 2017—A man and his friends report a "large bird-like entity" over Chicago's DuSable Harbor. LB; P&M
September 24th, 2017—A family on their way home from mass reports a red-eyed, winged "goblin" that gave off of a "strong sense of evil." UE; UFOCH
September 26th, 2017—A nightclub performer reports a "man-bat" crouched on top of a light pole in Chicago's West Lakeview. UE; P&M
September 26th, 2017—A woman and her son report seeing a "monster bat" in their backyard, before it flies off. UE; P&M
Mid-fall, 2017—A young man and his sister reportedly see a dark, red-eyed being that “took off into the sky like a literal 'bat out of hell’” in southeast Michigan. UE; P&M
October 7th, 2017—A witness reports a large, winged being flying in the River North neighborhood. LB; P&M
October 27th, 2017—A couple is reportedly accosted by a "man-sized" flying humanoid while sitting in a car at Piotrowski Park. UE; UFOCH
January 27th, 2018—A man reports a creature similar to the "weird hybrid mix of an owl and a bat" seen the next day in Wilmington. LB; P&M
January 28th, 2018—A woman reports a "weird hybrid mix of an owl and a bat" outside of her home in Wilmington. LB; P&M
February 2nd, 2018—Three witnesses report a "tall man" with a "very large black pair of wings," and glowing, "ruby red" eyes in Oak Park. UE; UFOCH
February 15th, 2018—A man leaving a truck stop near the Wisconsin/Illinois border reports a "giant, skinny man with a large pair of wings and red eyes." UE; UFOCH
March 29th, 2018—An investigator photographs an "enormous" bird 40 miles west of Chicago. LB; P&M
April 10th, 2018—A woman reports a winged creature with "bat-like" wings near Oak Park. LB; P&M
April 10th, 2018—Two witnesses report an "owl man" on Chicago's south side. LB; P&M
April 12th, 2018—Two elderly women reportedly witness a dark winged being vanish in West Lakeview. UE; P&M
April 13th, 2018—A couple in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, are reportedly terrified by a bat-like flying humanoid with "large glowing red eyes." UE; P&M/TSFS
May 1st, 2018—A man's parents report a "large winged humanoid" flying above the trees behind their home in Wheeling, Illinois. LB; P&M
May 9th, 2018—A man on his way to work captures a "bat-like" flying creature on his GoPro camera; he later describes it as "someone in a wing suit." LB; P&M/TSFS
June 25th, 2018—Video of a “large flying creature” is captured on home security camera in Rantoul, Illinois. LB; P&M/TSFS
August, 2018—Investigator Mark Hagan twice reports a “bat-like creature” with glowing red eyes near Hammond, Indiana.
Late September, 2018—A man and his family report a flying creature with the body of a “large monkey” and wings “similar to bat wings” from their porch in Gary, Indiana. LB; P&M
October 26th, 2018—A married couple reports a winged humanoid resembling a “large owl” in Alsip, Illinois. UE; UFOCH
December 26th, 2018—A man driving with his wife near Prairie Creek Reservoir in Indiana reports a “bat-like” flying humanoid with “an obvious face.” UE; P&M
January 19th, 2019—A man reportedly avoids colliding with a four-to-five-foot-tall “grayish” creature with “large wings…similar to bat wings” while driving in Gary, Indiana. LB; P&M
February 22nd, 2019—A man in Woodstock, Illinois reports a large, winged being “covered in dark fur” illuminated by the headlights of his car as the being crosses the street in front of him. UE; P&M/TSFS
February 25th, 2019—A woman driving to work near Darien, Wisconsin is reportedly terrified by a near-miss with what she called a “flying witch”. UE; P&M/TSFS
February 28th, 2019—A man outside of the Jewel-Osco in Woodstock, Illinois, reports an "unusual being" with wings and "bright green eyes" charging at him from the McHenry County Fairgrounds. UE; TSFS
March 6th, 2019—A woman is awoken in the early morning hours by a “sinister” and “monster-like” growling outside of her home in Woodstock, Illinois. UE; TSFS
March 7th, 2019—A woman driving in Woodstock, Illinois is reportedly startled to see an “extremely tall” being with “fur and wings” run in front of her car. UE; P&M
April 12th, 2019—Ghost hunter Craig Nehring reportedly collides with a “miniature mothman” while driving his semi truck near Wittenberg, Wisconsin. UE; TSFS
April 17th, 2019—A man reportedly sees a large, bird-like creature with a crest on its head and a long, spaded tail near the Des Plaines River. LB; P&M
Summer of 2019—A man reports "a large, dark, man-sized bat-bird 'thing'" flying behind his home in Franklin Park, Illinois. UE; P&M
Summer of 2019—A witness reportedly has two separate sightings of "'something' about 4 [feet] tall [and] brownish [with] two legs and bat-like wings" in Carol Streams, Illinois. LB; P&M
July 3rd, 2019—A man in Rosemont, Illinois, reports a “large black animal” flying over the Des Plaines River. LB; UFOCH
July 5th, 2019—A witness reports a “pterosaur” while driving home in Wheaton, Illinois. LB; P&M
August 8th, 2019—A pilot reports "a large human with enormous wings and glowing red eyes perched upon a rail" at O'Hare International Airport. UE; UFOCH
September 17th or 20th, 2019—A man reportedly sees a “mythological Harpy” in Chicago’s Little Village. UE; P&M
Late September, 2019—A woman reports a toddler-sized “bat creature…running like a gorilla” across Meadow Hill Road near Barrington, Illinois. UE; P&M
October 2019—A woman reportedly encounters a seven-foot-tall humanoid with “veiny, batlike wings” in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. UE; P&M
October 5th, 2019—A ride-share driver reports a "tall creature" with "bright red eyes" and "large wings” near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. UE; MUFON/P&M
October 19th, 2019—A man reports a shrieking “giant-sized bat” fly overhead as he is smoking a cigarette outside of a wedding reception in Rosemont, Illinois. LB; UFOCH
Late October, 2019—A woman’s unusual sighting of a winged humanoid in Rosemont, Illinois, reportedly leads to strange dreams and an uninvited encounter with someone claiming to be an investigator. UE; UFOCH/P&M/TSFS
Late October, 2019—A woman and her husband report an “unknown flying human owl” perched in a tree near their apartment in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. LB; TSFS/P&M
October 30th, 2019—A witness reports a large winged humanoid while driving to their home in Park Ridge, Illinois. UE; P&M
November 26th, 2019—A man reports a seven-foot-tall “person with wings” while standing outside of a cargo dock at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. UE; UFOCH
Early December, 2019—A woman reports a “flying gargoyle” while driving near Hoffman Estates, Illinois. UE; P&M
December 3rd, 2019—A security person at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago reports a “red-eyed flying man.” UE; UFOCH
December 6th, 2019—A man reports seeing a red-eyed, winged humanoid while driving near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. UE; TSFS/P&M
February 21st, 2020—A security guard at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport reports a "very tall...solid black" creature with "glowing red eyes." UE; UFOCH
February 26th, 2020—A woman reports a “big, black birdman” in the backyard of her apartment building in West Englewood, Chicago. Her son later photographs a set of prints that they believe belong to the creature. UE; P&M
March 3rd, 2020—Chicago paranormal investigator Manuel Navarette reports a strange flying creature with "membranous wings" near O'Hare International Airport. UE; TSFS/UFOCH
May 31st, 2020—An airline pilot reports a “large, black, human-like creature” flying above O’Hare International Airport. UE; UFOCH
Summer of 2020—A woman in Cicero, Illinois, says she saw “something huge” with demonic wings and “a brief flash of bright red color” when walking past her son’s room. UE; P&M
June 30th, 2020—Two women report seeing a “huge owl” with "glowing red eyes that looked like [they] belonged to the devil himself" near a parking lot at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. UE; UFOCH
Early July, 2020—A man and his coworkers report seeing “a large person with wings” fly overhead while unloading a plane at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. UE; UFOCH
July 2020—A man reports seeing a six-to-seven-foot-tall “very big bat [that] was also very human-like in appearance” while on break from his job as an air traffic controller at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. UE; UFOCH
August 2020—A man reports seeing a "gargoyle with little horns on its head" in Itasca, Illinois. UE; P&M
August 2020—A witness claims that they and five of their family members saw a wingless humanoid fly over Market Street in Waukegan, Illinois. UE; P&M
Late August 2020—Two sisters report what “looked like a body shrouded in wings” flying in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. UE; TSFS
September 24th, 2020—A woman reports seeing a seven-foot-tall, red-eyed creature after leaving work at the United States Postal Service sorting facility in Chicago's O'Hare International Airport at around 11 pm. UE; UFOCH
October 8th, 2020—A woman reports seeing a “black, humanoid figure with very large wings and legs” while driving with her daughters and fiancé in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. UE; TSFS
October 26th, 2020—A woman and her mother reportedly witness a “demon” with “red eyes and very large wings” in Schiller Park, Illinois. UE; UFOCH
October 31st, 2020—A group of young adults claim to have seen a red-eyed, winged being in the trees near Waukegan Skate Park in Waukegan, Illinois. UE; UFOCH
November 26th, 2020—Two women report seeing a “bulky person” with “absolutely huge wings” while driving near Oregon, Wisconsin. UE; TSFS
Spring of 2021—A man claiming to be a former security guard in downtown Chicago says he saw a tall, winged humanoid vanish inside the building he was guarding. UE; P&M
April 15th, 2021—A woman reportedly sees a seven-to-eight-foot-tall, black, winged creature with glowing red eyes after leaving work at O’Hare International Airport at approximately 9 p.m. UE; UFOCH
April 21st, 2021—A man reportedly sees a large, humanoid owl while working as a shuttle bus driver at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. LB; UFOCH
May 8th, 2021—A woman reports a sighting of "a large, black creature gliding over Roosevelt Road by Elmhurst, [Illinois].” UE; TSFS
July 22nd, 2021—A trio of witnesses report a security response to the appearance of a red-eyed, winged humanoid at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. UE; UFOCH/P&M/TSFS
August 5th, 2021—A woman claims to have seen a black, seven-foot-tall winged humanoid with “glowing yellow eyes” while working at the Wisconsin State Fair in Milwaukee. UE; UFOCH/TSFS
December 30th, 2021—A man claims that he and two coworkers saw three black, red-eyed, winged creatures while working near a hangar at O’Hare International Airport. UE; UFOCH
March 5th, 2022—A woman claims that she and her friend encountered a creature with “bright red eyes” and a “big black body” while parked at a construction site near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. UE; UFOCH/TSFS
April 9th, 2022—Several family members attending a party in Elk Grove, Illinois, claim they saw a winged humanoid with glowing red eyes perched on a neighbor’s roof. UE; UFOCH
April 20th, 2022—A man in River Grove, Illinois, claims to have seen a strange, black, winged creature flying near St. Joseph Cemetery. LB; P&M
April 28th, 2022—A truck driver claims to have encountered a giant, red-eyed “man-bat” while dropping off equipment at work in Bensenville, Illinois. UE; UFOCH
May 17th, 2022—A father and daughter claim to have recorded three winged humanoids while outside of their home in Bensenville, Illinois. LB; UFOCH
June 20th, 2022—A woman and her mother claim to have encountered both a massive, black, winged humanoid and a glowing UFO on the same night in Rockford, Illinois. UE; TSFS
October 25th, 2022—A father and daughter claim to have encountered a “thin, black, [winged] figure” with eyes that were “glowing bright red” in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago. UE; UFOCH
December 29th, 2022—A man claiming to be a firefighter reportedly sees a red-eyed, winged “Batman” at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. UE; UFOCH
February 5th, 2023—A witness reports a group sighting of a "large man" with "wings that were wider than a car" in Chicago's Little Village. UE; UFOCH
April/May 2023—Mat Sexton reportedly has his first two encounters with a winged humanoid in northern Illinois. UE; TSFS/P&M
August 15th, 2023—A woman says she saw a "dark humanoid-like being" fly overhead while at the Public Storage on Green Bay Road in Evanston, Illinois. UE; P&M
September 7th, 2023—A Chicago-area woman says that she saw a tall, red-eyed creature while driving through Camp Pine Woods near the Des Plaines River. UE; P&M/TSFS
March 5th, 2024—A woman waiting at the Culver’s drive-thru in Evergreen Park, Illinois, reportedly sees a “creature-like figure with large, greyish-black wings and grey muscular legs” leap several blocks through the air. UE; P&M/TSFS
April 29th, 2024—Mat Sexton reportedly has his third encounter with a winged humanoid in northern Illinois, during which he fires at it several times from his truck. UE; TSFS/P&M
Early July, 2024—A man claims to see a winged humanoid jump off of Park Tower in Chicago. PH; TSFS/P&M
Tags:
LB (Large Birds): These sightings are the most likely to be a misidentified modern avian species or potentially anomalous large birds—think owls, herons, and cranes, or even pterosaurs and thunderbirds.
UE (Unexplained): These sightings are unexplained—they are potentially paranormal according to the nature of the events described and the evidence currently available, and represent the best likelihood of a Mothman-like entity.
PH (Potential Hoax): These sightings are the likeliest to have been deliberate hoaxes—the information given has been proven to contradict verifiable facts.
P&M (Phantoms and Monsters): These sightings were received/investigated by Lon Strickler of Phantoms and Monsters.
UFOCH (UFO Clearinghouse): These sightings were received/investigated by Manuel Navarette of UFO Clearinghouse.
TSFS (The Singular Fortean Society): These sightings were received/investigated by Tobias and Emily Wayland of the Singular Fortean Society.
MUFON (The Mutual UFO Network): These sightings were received/investigated by field investigators with the Mutual UFO Network.
To report a sighting, reach out to us directly at The Singular Fortean Society through our contact page.
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