Manuel Navarette of UFO Clearinghouse was contacted last month by a man who said he saw what appeared to be a “very tall human, but it was solid black with glowing red eyes” while working as a security guard last February at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

According to the witness’ initial report:

I wanted to tell you about something I saw on February 21st at O’Hare International Airport. I work for [a security company] as a security guard and I was on duty at O’Hare International Airport, and was assigned to do routine escorts for trucks that were coming in and out of the airport. Many of these trucks are there to deliver cargo going outbound on planes, and are required to have an escort to and from their drop offs. I was doing one such escort on that night at about [10 pm]. I had escorted the truck to the unloading facility at the post office and I was waiting [for] the truck to be unloaded. I stepped out of my vehicle to have a cigarette, and I saw something move out of the corner of my eye near the fence and I decided to go see if it was someone trying to climb the fence. We had a few incidents in the last few weeks of people coming onto airport grounds either to sit and watch the airplanes come and go, but we have also had a few incidents of investigators coming onto airport grounds in response to the multiple reports of the Mothman. We had been told to report these individuals and escort them off the grounds if we ever run into them during our shifts. I assumed it was going to be the same thing as before, we roll up to them and tell them that they were trespassing and then escort them off the property. We have all had our share of these sorts of calls and knew to be firm but professional with them. I rolled up to the fence and what I saw wasn’t human; it looked like a very tall human, but it was solid black with glowing red eyes and it had a pair of wings that were outstretched that must have measured at least ten feet from tip to tip. I got out of my car and shined my flashlight at it, this thing screeched out loud, it almost sounded like the brakes on a train, loud and very high pitched. It then turned its back to me and flew straight up into the sky and took off like a bullet. I could see it as it took off, its wings flapping until it faded into the night. I heard it screech again and before I knew it, it was gone and I could not see it anymore. I drove back to where the truck was and I told the people there at the dock, and they said that people had seen it at least a few times. I waited till the truck was ready, escorted it back, and reported [my sighting] to my supervisor, who told me that it was probably a very large owl. He did tell me to be careful in the future when I am out at night, which I thought was odd. I know what I saw was not an owl, and what ever it was, it scared the living piss out of me. I am asking that you please do not mention my employment, I need to keep my job in order to take care of my family and I do not want people saying anything to me about this sighting. I need to make my money and I also do not want to be made fun of by people here at work.

Navarette was able to eventually speak with the witness after three attempts at contact.

"The witness was very hesitant to talk to [me] until [I] assured him that his identity would be protected and his employer would be redacted from the final report," said Navarette.

"The witness said that he saw something, and when he came up to the fence line, he exited his car and used his flashlight to shine a beam of light at the entity," the investigator explained. "When asked what he saw, he said that the skin of the creature looked like that of a giant bat and was solid black, and that the wings were at least 10 feet in width. He said that the creature turned its back on him, shot up into the air, and was gone within a few seconds. When asked if he got a look at the face of the creature, the witness said that he did not, that the initial encounter did not last more than a few seconds, and that he was frozen in fear at the sight of the creature. When asked to please explain what he saw in more detail, the witness said he could not give any more of a description aside from what he initially gave. When asked about his interaction with the people at the dock, he said that he never went any further than what he initially talked to them about, and that they said that the creature had been seen before by various people. He said that he went back to his car and waited inside with the doors locked until the truck was ready to be escorted back to the gates. "

According to Navarette, the security guard seemed agitated during the conversation; something that could indicate the impact this sighting had on the witness.

A strong emotional reaction involving fear has become a hallmark of the ‘Mothman’ sightings reported around Lake Michigan.

"The witness refused to talk about his conversation with his supervisor and then proceeded to cut the interview short. No other information was obtained by the witness," Navarette said. "It is [my] opinion that this sighting did profoundly affect the witness to the point that he refused to talk to [me] any further. [I have] to list this [investigation] as inconclusive pending any further information from the witness."

Of special note is that the security guard mentioned specifically that they have “had a few incidents of investigators coming onto airport grounds in response to the multiple reports of the Mothman.” The Singular Fortean Society urges all amateur investigators not to violate the law while entertaining their curiosity. Furthermore, cryptid enthusiasts are asked not to pursue these sightings, since not only have many witnesses requested anonymity, but this phenomenon is still being actively investigated, and the risk of interference with the work being conducted as part of this investigation is high.

The sighting reports in this area so far include a March 3rd sighting by investigator Manuel Navarette of a strange flying creature with “membranous wings” near O’Hare International Airport, a January 23rd report from a man who said he saw an “egg-shaped” object fly over O’Hare and shine a “brilliant blue light” to the ground, through which a “person” appeared to be taken aboard the craft, the December 6th sighting of a red-eyed, winged humanoid near O’Hare, a December 3rd report of a “red-eyed flying man” from a security person at O’Hare, a November 26th sighting of a seven-foot-tall “person with wings” outside of O’Hare, a September 29th sighting of a toddler-sized “bat creature…running like a gorilla” near Barrington, an October 30th sighting of a large, winged humanoid in Park Ridge, an October 29th report of a winged humanoid accompanied by several other beings who disappeared in a flash of blue light, a late October sighting of an “unknown flying human owl” in Hoffman Estates, an October 19th sighting of a “giant-sized bat” outside of the Edward Hotel in Rosemont, an October 5th sighting of a "tall creature" with "bright red eyes" and "large wings” near O’Hare, and a report from July of a six-foot-tall creature flying over the Des Plaines River near Rosemont.

In addition, a recent report out of Bensenville described an encounter had by a man who claimed he witnessed a “large, dark being” with “cape-like wings" in 2006.

These reports are seemingly related to a string of ‘Mothman’ sightings from within a few hundred mile radius surrounding Lake Michigan, including every state bordering the great lake. The sightings ostensibly began in the spring of 2017, but more historical accounts are being reported as more people become aware of the phenomenon. Sightings of weird winged beings around Lake Michigan have been reported at all hours, often in or near a park, and around water. Witnesses consistently describe a large, gray or black bat or bird-like creature—although in a small number of cases the creature was described as insect-like—sometimes with glowing or reflective red, yellow, or orange eyes; 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 avian being could explain some encounters. Sightings of anomalous avians, including thunderbirds and pterosaurs, are often reported in or near the same locations as those where witnesses have reported winged humanoids.

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 Lake Michigan Mothman sightings so far here, and an interactive map here.