Question about large unidentified "bird"

A while back I had a friend tell me a story that left me extremely curious.
She and 6 other people were hanging out in the country around twilight, and everything was normal. She said the guy she was talking to suddenly started staring at the sky, his eyes got huge, and slowly slid off the hood of the car he was sitting on, completely terrified. Everyone else noticed and looked up to see what she described as "a large bird-looking thing, with a wingspan of about 10-15 ft across, a triangular shaped head, and strange looking feet/claws, and it appeared to be running at them, not so much flying, but RUNNING". She said against the purpleish sky it was hard to make out any kind of facial features, but it was black in color.

This all happened in central IL about 5 years ago. I don't doubt my friend because she's not one to make up wild stories like this. That, and the fact that 6 other people had witnessed it. I read a couple threads about the Piasa bird legend down around St Louis, but wasn't sure if this was the same thing or something completely different. Based on accounts of the size, the piasa seems to be much larger.

Any thoughts?

reply to post by casijones


Not sure about IL, but I have seem dark brown eagles with wingspans around 8 feet in NY.

reply to post by casijones


Perhaps a released ostrich? I know a lot of people in my area of the US released theirs after that whole trend died out.

reply to post by immortalcamel


no this thing was up in the air, flying. she said it wasn't really using it's wings that much but the way the feet were moving it looked like it was running in the air.

reply to post by casijones


Ah, well, me being in OK and part Native American, have you heard of the Indian legends of the Thunderbird?

It could have been what is commonly known as a Thunderbird. Nobody has ever captured or shot one, but they are usually of about 15 feet wingspan. They are reported in the Great Lake states so perhaps this was one.Sightings don't often make the media but John Keel's "Mothman Prophecies" includes an account of all the sightings of them by UFO spotters. Apparently they had a ruff of feathers around their necks.

About the thunderbird, does anyone know why it is know as thunderbird? It seems quite interesting though.

reply to post by immortalcamel


No I haven't but I will look it up! I thought it was the same thing as that piasa bird so I didn't research it.

reply to post by ThinkingMe


Native Americans believed the sound of the wings flapping sounded like thunder, hence the name.

reply to post by casijones


The piasa is similar, but it was depicted as more dragon like where the thunderbird is well bird like.

Well after reading a few threads about the thunderbird, that almost seems to fit the description. A lot of the sightings have been in IL too so it would make sense. I'll have to pass all of this along to my friend, she's been confused for years about this! Thanks for the info

reply to post by casijones


In your research did you run across the story of 10 year old Marlon Lowe? In July, 1977 In Lawndale, Illinois he and some friends were playing in a backyard when a huge bird swooped down and attacked the boys. The bird was big enough that it was able to pick up a 10 year old boy and get somewhat airborne. Now that is a big bird! Marlon hit the bird and the bird dropped him.

If you can get a copy of the Monster Quest episode on Thunderbirds it has an interview with an adult Lowe.

Originally posted by angrywhitechick
reply to post by casijones

 

In your research did you run across the story of 10 year old Marlon Lowe? In July, 1977 In Lawndale, Illinois he and some friends were playing in a backyard when a huge bird swooped down and attacked the boys. The bird was big enough that it was able to pick up a 10 year old boy and get somewhat airborne. Now that is a big bird! Marlon hit the bird and the bird dropped him.

If you can get a copy of the Monster Quest episode on Thunderbirds it has an interview with an adult Lowe.

No I didn't... I'll try to look that up on youtube thanks for the suggestion!