Owls are sacred to Athena, Greek goddess of war and wisdom. The Owl is a symbol of Inanna (Ishtar), Queen of Heavens, and Ereshkigal, Goddess of the Mesopotamian Underworld Kur. In Aztec belief, the Little Owl can reach the Land of the Dead through its burrow. Owls can symbolize good luck or dreadful misfortune in cultures world-wide.
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Owls appear often in indigenous North American and Meso-american cultures. In mythology and animal spirit lore, the Owl carries messages or knowledge across dimensions.
Among the Aztecs the Little Owl is messenger of Mictlantecuhli, Lord of the Land of the Dead, and sacred to his wife, Mictecacihuatl. The Little Owl flies between the living and the dead, or uses its burrow as a portal to pass into other dimensions.
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Like cats, owls can see in near darkness and their hearing is keen. Some like barn owls have prominent facial discs, which can reflect light and sound to their keen senses. Owls don't have eyeballs. Their eyes are tubes and can't move.
Both cats and owls are also associated with witches and prophecy. Owls have connections to hidden knowledge and owl energy can be helpful in journeying. In ornithomancy, or divination by flight and behavior of birds, the owl, raven, crow and chicken are considered the most accurate prophets.
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Up to 225 owl species are known throughout the world. Most owls are nocturnal, with a few exceptions such as the burrowing owl and the snowy owl. Some owls, like the pygmy owl, hunt at crepuscular times of dawn and dusk.
The great grey owl of the boreal forests is known as the phantom of the forest. Owls fly on silent wings due to the arrangement of feathers.
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Flight feathers have serrated edges to cut down on wind noise, allowing the owl to glide in and nab the unfortunate prey. The unique attribute gives the owl an advantage when hunting mice and other small animals.
The ability to turn its head almost 270 degrees when perching lets the owl perceive the lay of the land, watch for danger and spot potential meals. The eyes of an owl can't move, so it's evolved to turn its head at amazing angles.
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Owls are often associated with death, journeying, cross-dimensional communication, magic, the moon and night. In some societies the owl is used as a scare tactic for kids, like the bogeyman ("be home by dark or the owl will get you!").
In the Kenyan Kikuyu culture, owls are considered harbingers of death as well. Seeing or hearing an owl means someone will die. Maybe a field mouse. Both mom and dad bring food home for the owlets.
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Owls are seen as bad omens, signs of misfortune, sickness or death. Both Ancient Japan and India perceive owls as bad luck, but modern Japanese see them as the opposite, bringing good fortune and insight.
In Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian culture, the owl connects to Lilith. First wife of Adam, she becomes the first primordial she-demon.
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According to 13th-century writings, Lilith leaves Adam when she refuses to become subservient to him. She has lustful liaisons with an archangel and won't return to the Garden of Eden.
In the 1st century BCE, Roman Virgil says the hoot of an owl foretold the death of Dido. Pliny records a burst of confusion and fear in the Roman Forum when an owl entered.
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Roman poet Horace links owls to witchcraft. Romans used representations of owls to combat the evil eye. The owl of Athena (above, bronze) is a talisman of protection.
In most native North American folklore the owl is a symbol of death. At times, owls carry messages from beyond the grave. They can also act as warnings to those who break tribal taboos.
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In Hinduism, the owl is the mount or vahana of Goddess Lakshmi, a primary deity. Owls relate to wealth, prosperity, wisdom and fortune. They can reveal hidden paths and share arcane secrets.
Also in Hinduism owls can be associated with evil. At times, the fearsome Chamunda (below), a bloodthirsty manifestation of the Earth Mother Chami, is shown riding an owl. In this way owls are associated with death.
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In Europe and the West, the owl is regarded as fortunate. The concept of Death often applies not to physical death but to the chaos of change. The bird can also be a sign from a loved one who has crossed over, or a message of advice or guidance.
The owl signifies intuition, dreams, magic and the occult, insight, perspective, wisdom, learning, having special talents, skills, attributes or knowledge. This bird can also bring the gift of prophecy.
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In the Middle East, the owl is linked with catastrophe, defeat and death. The people consider owls to represent souls of people who died unavenged. Seeing an owl on the way to battle foretells a bloody battle with many deaths and casualties.
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