Owlman

In Cornish folklore, the Owlman (Cornish: Kowanden), also called the Cornish Owlman or the Owlman of Mawnan, is described as an owl-like humanoid creature first reported in 1976 in the village of Mawnan, Cornwall, UK. The earliest accounts describe it flying above the church tower of St Mawnan and St Stephen, leading some to suggest that the sightings were simply misidentified barn owls, which often nest in such locations.

The story began when Tony “Doc” Shiels—an eccentric figure involved in a series of so-called “monster-raising” exploits in 1976—claimed to have investigated a sighting by two young girls on holiday in Mawnan. On 17 April 1976, June and Vicky Melling reported seeing a large, winged figure hovering above the church tower. Frightened, the girls described it as a “feathered bird-man,” and their father Don was so disturbed by the story that he cut the family holiday short. According to Shiels, one of the girls even provided a drawing of the creature, which he then dubbed the “Owlman.”

The tale gained wider circulation through a pamphlet titled Morgawr: The Monster of Falmouth Bay by Anthony Mawnan-Peller, published in 1976. That same year, on 3 July, two 14-year-old girls named Sally Chapman and Barbara Perry—already aware of the Owlman reports—claimed to have encountered a huge owl-like being while camping near the church. They described it as “a big owl with pointed ears, as big as a man,” with glowing eyes and black, claw-like appendages.

Sporadic reports of Owlman sightings continued over the following decades, with alleged encounters in 1978, 1979, 1989, and 1995. Local legend also recalls that in the year 2000, a loud owl-like screech was heard at night in the Mullion churchyard.

Skeptics have suggested more ordinary explanations. Investigator Joe Nickell has pointed out that church towers are common nesting sites for barn owls, likely accounting for the reports. Others, such as Fortean TV presenter Reverend Lionel Fanthorpe, have suggested that a Eurasian eagle-owl might have been the source of the legend.

However, many scholars and folklorists have cast doubt on the story altogether. Occult historian Gareth Medway argued that the entire affair may have been a hoax by Shiels, who was known for fabricating stories. Medway observed that nearly every reported sighting was either made by Shiels himself, by people close to him, or by individuals who only ever reported their experiences directly to him rather than to independent investigators.