Wood County Reporter

September 17, 1891

“A Strange Bird.”

A strange bird which has attracted the attention of hundreds of people, has been on exhibition on the farm of John Rodabaugh, a farmer living near St. Mary’s, Ohio. The bird resembles an owl very much in form, has a head shaped like a heart, the face of a monkey, a snowy white fur adorning its face, while the feathers are of a beautiful and delicate yellowish gray, with the tail of a turkey. The bird was caught a few weeks ago while the family were returning home from church, and not until it had received a load of shot did it allow itself to be taken captive, and then its captor was fearfully lacerated in the fight that ensued. It utters a noise similar to that of the squeal of a pig, and is fed wholly on small birds, which it takes into its beak alive, throwing out the bones and feathers afterward.

“Historic Cryptid Headlines” showcases actual articles involving cryptids that were published within United States newspapers back in the 1800s-1900s. The articles posted here are written exactly as they appeared during their original publishing date.

-The Pine Barrens Institute

Want more historically strange stories in your life like the one above? If the answer is yes, then make sure to check out our book ‘Monsters In Print: A Collection Of Curious Creatures Known Mostly From Newspapers’, available from Amazon!

Make sure to also check out our shop for official PBI shirts, totes, buttons, and stickers!