Thunderbirds, Chicago 1977

On July 25, 1977, in the field outside his family's home, ten-year-old Marlon Lowe was playing when two entities swooped down out of the sky towards the boy. Marlon's mother, Ruth, who had been inside the house, stepped onto the porch and saw a pair of enormous, coal-black birds flying over the field, one with her son in its talons. She screamed, and the bird dropped the boy, pecking at him as it flew off. Six other people witnessed the event. Ruth estimated the birds' winspans to be at least 18 feet. After doing a bit of research, she concluded that the birds reminded her most of condors.

Other citizens encountered either one or both birds in the Lawndale, Illinois area. After one sighting which caused a woman to collapse, a group of armed men went to the location of the sighting and reportedly killed a large bird. They burned the body, leaving no trace of evidence.

The attempted abduction of Marlon Lowe by two gigantic birds is consistent with Native American legends of thunderbirds.