Strix

Strix are a malevolent creature found in mythology and folklore dating back to the Classical Era and surviving well into medieval times, always taking the rough form of a demonic owl that was believed to be the result of either supernatural monsters or shape-shifting witches : the Strix were also associated with vampires due to the fact the creatures were believed to feast on human flesh and blood.

Strix were envisioned as birds that would signal an attack via terrible shrieking and could often be found hanging upside down (perhaps eluding to bats) - when they attacked the Strix would either cause misfortune to victims via spraying them with foul-smelling milk (often infants) or cause more malicious damage such as using their vicious claws to disembowl infants : garlic was often seen as a means to get rid of the evil spirit and prevent such attacks.

Strix could also be found in Tartarus or the Underworld, further showing their dark nature - depending on the time period and legend they could either be "naturally" occuring spirits or the result of transformation, in the transformation tales a Strix is little more than an alternate form taken by a particularly evil witch.

Most accounts of Strix have been seen in recent times to be descriptions of owls, a bird that often plays into folklore because of its unusual appearance, its tendency to be active at night and its unusual calls (for example the shrieking of the Irish Banshee is often attributed to the call of owls).