La Lechuza - The time I was visited by a lechuza at night

It was around three a.m. when we heard the whistles coming from the backyard. My cousin's room was in the back of the house and his large bedroom window faced the backyard. It stood around three feet with completely blacked-out piercing eyes. Perched on the back fence, it continued to whistle at us. Calling us out. Begging us to come outside. We froze in fear. It was just a story; or, at least it was only a story until we heard and saw the lechuza. It had to have been a minute or two stuck in a trance staring into those black eyes until the back-porch lightbulb burned out. Moonlight only made the creature appear more sinister. The sudden burst within the bulb is what broke the trance. A couple of moments passed, and the whistling stopped. No one believed us the next day. We wouldn't either have we not seen and heard the calls of the lechuza. 

What happened that night

As two thirteen-old teens are to do, we talked about everything unknown that night. The conversation always leads down this familiar path. That night we picked up where we left off the night before. His uncle told him about the Lechuza earlier in the week. I figured his uncle on his mom's side was doing what he always did, tried to scare us. He was good at it and reputation for it was known. However, this time was different. He claimed his immediately family was haunted. Years later, I come to find the reason why. That's for another time. 

He went on about the baby-faced owl that whistles or cries like a baby to lure people out of their home. Something about taking their soul or being an omen.

I am all for urban legends, but this one, in particular, was intriguing because years before I had seen an all-white owl at my grandma's house at night. That one didn't make whistling sounds. Or I didn't hear them.

The story continued that his girlfriend at the time was constantly harassed by these lechuzas. To the point where they followed her during the day. As far as I know, owls are nocturnal. Any owl stalking a person in daylight may not actually be an owl. The owls following this girl had faces like babies and cried like them also. Again, no owl expert, but I doubt they can mimic the sounds of a crying baby.

This all reminds me of a creepypasta about the Anansi Goat man. The story is possibly about a skinwalker or wendigo. What is familiar between the lechuzas and the creature in that story is the ability to mimic human sounds in a broken fashion. It is mentioned in the creepypasta about how the creature sounds like a husky saying I love you. That video gives me chills. I'll have to you in another post about my grandparents running into a talking dog.

What is a lechuza

Stemming from Mexico, the origin story of lechuzas is about witches - brujas - that have sold their souls to the Devil for powers and the ability to shape-shift into owls. What they do is up for debate. Eat souls, children, or be an omen for someone's death. Not only does Mexico have a belief in lechuzas, but different parts of the world have their own take on these creatures. It all comes down to some form of witchcraft. But, this only to be my understanding of the origin of lechuzas. 

The issue with lechuzas is how everyone tells the story differently. Another symptom of urban legends. Folklore is basically one huge game of Telephone that spans region to region from generation to generation. Stories told over and over seem to have different elements every time. Names and places change.

Do I believe we were visited by one?

I don't know for sure. I have other stories involving the occult and supernatural incidents for other posts that I still can't explain. I am torn between wanting to believe there is more to life than what we see and pretend to see as a rational person. On the other hand, if I delve too deep, I won't be able to sleep at night. What made that night odd was the whistling. Do owls whistle at people? That family has done things and received gifts that come with a price - ominous foreshadowing for future posts.

What I know is what I saw and heard. I don't have an answer or explanation. 

What to pair with?

Dos Equis. A beer from Mexico to go along with the brujas of Mexico. Just don't share one with them. They are real. They exist. And they might whistle at you at night for something more than just enjoying a cold one with you.

Have you seen or heard of the lechuza? Or have you had a run in with one? Tell me about it. Leave a comment.

Be sure to follow me on social media

Twitter

Instagram