In mid-April 2017, multiple witnesses around Chicago reported chilling encounters with a towering winged humanoid resembling an enormous owl. These reports, collected by MUFON within just two days of each other, describe a black, man-sized entity with glowing eyes and massive wings. Could these sightings mark the beginning of a wave of unexplained aerial phenomena in the Chicagoland area?

Chicago, IL - April 15, 2017: "I arrived at the Chicago International Produce Market at 2 AM, located just off Damen. As I walked across the parking lot, I noticed a group of 4 to 5 guys staring up at the sky. I looked up and was stunned to see the biggest owl I have ever encountered! I’m 6'2", and I estimate that this creature was at least a foot taller than me. It was entirely black except for its bright yellowish-red eyes, which resembled those of a cat. 

The owl stood there for a minute or two, staring at everyone, before abruptly launching into the sky and vanishing. Its presence made everyone feel uneasy, and it only took off after some guys threw rocks at it. Its wings were like those of an owl, but significantly larger, and you could hear the flapping sound as it took off.

As it flew away, it made a noise reminiscent of burnt-out truck brakes. It circled widely, producing that sound again, before flying off in the direction of the Stevenson Expressway. We stood around for a few minutes looking for it, but it never returned.

I’m sharing this report because there’s no way this was an ordinary owl; it stood upright like a man, just much taller. I prefer to remain anonymous because I doubt anyone would believe me. One of my coworkers who witnessed this event mentioned that it made him feel very uneasy, like a scared child. He was relieved when someone threw a rock and scared it off." MUFON

Two days later, another report shows up on the MUFON CMS:

Chicago, IL - April 16, 2017: "I was hanging out with my friends when we started discussing work and our families. Suddenly, we heard a noise that sounded like a bird flapping its wings. One of my friends yelled that he saw a huge Lechuza (Spanish for "Barn Owl"). We walked over to the road and saw what looked like a large owl. As we approached, this owl stood up on two feet and looked directly at us. It was an enormous Lechuza, about six feet tall, with large, glowing red eyes that freaked everyone out. We all yelled, and this creature took off into the air, heading toward North Avenue. The sighting terrified all of us, including the children." MUFON

COMMENTARY:

The proximity in time and location of these two encounters suggests a recurring manifestation of the same winged humanoid in Chicago. Both witnesses describe a towering, owl-like creature with glowing eyes, standing upright and exuding a sense of dread. The emotional reactions, fear, unease, and even relief upon its departure, align with patterns often reported in other Mothman or winged humanoid cases.

The entity’s size, behavior, and eerie auditory phenomena (wing flaps, brake-like screech) point toward something beyond natural ornithology. Cultural references such as the “Lechuza” highlight folkloric ties, but the interdimensional or ultraterrestrial hypothesis cannot be dismissed, especially given the clustering of sightings in Chicago that year. Lon

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