The Owl - a Magickal Bird

The owl has attracted the fascination and awe of many cults and cultures, down

through the ages and many different and contradictory beliefs have survived to the present day.

Many associations link the owl with witchcraft, medicine, the weather, birth and even death; thus, many superstitions and fears about the owl remain. In the past it was thought to have been wise yet foolish, feared but venerated and despised whilst being admired.

The owls is a nocturnal, predatory bird distinguished by a large flat face, eyes surrounded by stiff, feathered disks, a short, hooked beak, feathered legs with sharp talons, and soft plumage which facilitates soundless flight. Its large eyes are encased in a capsule of bone called the 'sclerotic ring' which directs the eyes forward allowing restricted movement. To enable a sideways look, the owl must turn its entire head. Its neck, being relatively long and flexible, allows the head to rotate through 270 degrees. As few owls hunt their prey in full daylight, their hearing is particularly important. Many owls have asymmetrical skulls with the ear openings at different levels, enabling them to pin-point the slightest sound made by a prey animal.

Owls' nesting habits are highly variable. Some nest in holes in trees or among rocks whilst others nest in large trees, and species such as the burrowing owl nests on the ground. Owls feed entirely on living animals, the size of their prey being proportional to their own size. The prey may be anything from insects to mammals as large as hares, with a few owls feeding primarily on fish. Indigestible portions of their food such as bones, hair and feathers are compressed and regurgitated as compact pellets; analysis of these pellets often revealing the prey species. All owls lay pure white eggs.

There are two distinct owl families... Strigidae, of which there are about 120 species, including the typical owl, and Tytonidae, comprising some ten species including the Barn Owl; both of these families being found worldwide. Some of the more common varieties of owls are the Tawny Owl, a brown-flecked species of Europe and the Middle East, the Little Owl is the Greek symbol of wisdom and the bird most associated with Athena and can be found widely in many countries for

The largest owls are the Eagle Owls of Eurasia and Australia; both measure up to 0.75m, 2.25 feet in length. The Snowy Owl lives in the Arctic, while the worldwide Barn Owl, formerly common in Britain but diminished by pesticides and loss of habitat, can now be found more frequently in Malaysia. The Short-Eared Owl of North America, South America and Eurasia is a streaked, tawny coloured bird measuring approximately 38 cm, 15 inches in length, hunts at dawn and dusk and roosts mainly on the ground. The Great Horned Owl of North and South America measures 56 cm, 22 inches, has long ear tufts and lives in forests, grassland and deserts. Sadly, some species of owl are in danger of extinction. The island species such as the New Zealand Laughing Owl and the Madagascan Grass Owl are most at risk.

Owls In Mythology

In Ancient Greek Mythology, the owl was the preferred bird of Athena, daughter of Zeus, Goddess of Wisdom and War. Her preferred species was the Little Owl, which often accompanied her perched on her shoulder. The owl had the ability to light up Athena's blind side revealing to her unseen truths and thus expanding her natural wisdom. Due to its association with the Goddess, the owl gained protected status in Athens and inhabited the Acropolis in great numbers. As the symbol of Athena the owl became thought of as a protector, its symbolism being adopted by Greek armies on their way to war as inspiration for their daily lives. If before a battle an owl flew over the army, it was taken as a good omen that victory was immanent. The owl was also given prominence in society and commerce, being depicted on the reverse side of their silver drachma coin.

Greek mythology tells the story of Demeter, the Goddess of Corn, Grain and the Harvest. The story goes that her daughter, Persephone, was abducted against her will by Hades, the God of the Underworld, to be his wife. In her anger at the loss of her daughter, Demeter laid a curse on the World causing all the plants and crops to wither and die. The World soon became a desolate place resulting in wide-spread famine. Seeing this, Zeus became alarmed and sought Persephone's return. He agreed with Hades that Persephone could be returned to her mother provided she ate nothing while in the Underworld. Not wanting to lose his new bride, Hades deviously offered Persephone a pomegranate as a departing gift.

On her way home Persephone became curious by the seeds inside the pomegranate and tasted one, but she was seen to do so by Ascalpus who reported it back to Hades. By tasting the seed, Persephone became eternally bound to Hades, for he decreed that she should spend four months of each year as his wife in the Underworld. During these months Demeter grieves her daughters absence and withdraws her gifts from the World, thus creating Winter. On her daughter's return in the Spring, Demeter is overjoyed and once again makes the earth bloom and bear fruit.

This could have been a fitting end to the story but for the fact that all things, including Gods and Goddesses have light and dark, positive and negative aspects. Demeter in revenge for the time her daughter must spend in the Underworld, sought out Ascalpus, 'the tell tale', and turned him into an Owl for his trouble but not just any old owl; a sluggish Screech Owl, the most loathsome of the owl species.

Celtic Mythology renders the story of Blodeuwedd, who was a beautiful goddess created out of flowers by Gwydion to wed his son Lleu. Lleu, on seeing her,immediately fell in love. However Blodeuwedd had no heart for Lleu and instead fell in love with Goronw Pebyr. Not wanting to marry Lleu, she and Goronw conspired to kill him. But Lleu had been made invincible by the gods and to protect him from death, could only be killed in a very special way. Early one evening Blodeuwedd seduced Lleu into revealing his secret, and being in love he told her that, "he could only be killed if it were twilight, if he was wrapped in a fish net, had one foot on a cauldron and the other on a goat, and if the weapon used had been forged during sacred hours when such work was forbidden".

Hearing this, Goronw snuck away and forged such a weapon, returning just before twilight. Blodeuwedd then asked Lleu to demonstrate how improbable such a position was to achieve by chance, and when he did, Goronw leapt out from the shadows and struck him down. As the myth would have it, Llew didn't die but was transformed into an eagle and eventually restored to human form, after which he in turn killed Goronw. Blodeuwedd, because of her treachery, was transformed into an owl by Gwydion, and forever haunts the night in loneliness and sorrow shunned by all other birds.

Some of the World's Owl Myths

Abyssinia

The Hamites held the Owl sacred.

Afghanistan

The Owl gave Man flint and iron to make fire, and in exchange, Man gave the Owl his feathers.

Africa, Central

The Owl is the familiar of wizards to the Bantu.

Africa, East

The Swahili believe the Owl brings illness to children.

Africa, South

Zulus recognise the Owl as the Sorcerers' Bird.

Africa, West

Messenger of Wizards and Witches, the Owl's cry presages evil.

Algeria

Place the right eye of an Eagle Owl in the hand of a sleeping woman and she will tell all.

Arabia

The Owl is a bird of ill omen; the embodiment of evil spirits that carries off children at night. According to an ancient Arabic treatise, from each female Owl supposedly came two eggs, one held the power to cause hair to fall out; the other, the power to restore it.

Arctic Circle

A little girl having been turned into a bird with a long beak by magick, but was so frightened she flapped about madly and flew into a wall, flattening her face and beak, thus creating the owl.

Australia

Aborigines believe bats represent the souls of men and Owls the souls of women. Owls are therefore sacred, because your sister is an Owl - and the Owl is your sister.

Aztecs

One of their evil gods wore a Screech Owl on his head.

Babylon

Owl amulets protected women during childbirth.

Belgium

Legend has it that a priest offered the Owl his church tower to live in if the bird would get rid of the rats and mice that plagued his church.

Bordeaux

Throw salt in the fire to avoid the Owl's curse.

Borneo

The Supreme Being turned his wife into an Owl as a punishment for telling secrets to mortals.

Brittany

An Owl seen on the way to the harvest is the sign of a good yield.

Burma

During a quarrel among the birds, the Owl was jumped upon and so his face was flattened.

Cameroon

Too evil to name, the Owl is known only as "the bird that makes you afraid".

Celtic

The Owl was a sign of the Underworld.

China

The Owl is associated with lightning because it brightens the night, and with the drum because it breaks the silence. Placing Owl effigies in each corner of the home protects it against lightning. The Owl is a symbol of Too much Yang... positive, masculine, bright, active energy.

Ethiopia

A condemned man was taken to a table on which an Owl was painted, and then expected to take his own life.

France

When a pregnant woman hears an Owl it is an omen that her child will be a girl.

Germany

If an Owl hoots as a child is born, the infant will have an unhappy life.

Incas

The Incas venerated the Owl for its beautiful eyes and head.

India

Seizures in children could be treated with a broth made from Owl eyes. Rheumatism pain was treated with a gel made from Owl meat. Owl meat could also be eaten as a natural aphrodisiac.

In northern India, if one ate the eyes of an Owl, they would be able to see in the dark.

In southern India, the cries of an Owl were interpreted by number: One hoot was an omen of impending death; two meant success in anything that would be started soon after; three represented a woman being married into the family; four indicated a disturbance; five denoted coming travel; six meant guests were on the way; seven was a sign of mental distress; eight foretold sudden death; and nine symbolized good fortune.

In parts of the Indian sub-continent people believed that the Owl was married to the bat.

Ireland

An Owl that enters the house must be killed at once, for if it flies away it will take the luck of the house with it.

Israel

In Hebrew lore the Owl represents blindness and desolation and is unclean.

Jamaica

To ward off the Owl's bad luck, cry "Salt and pepper for your mammy".

Japan

Among the Ainu people the Eagle Owl is revered as a messenger of the gods or a divine ancestor. They would drink a toast to the Eagle Owl before a hunting expedition. The Screech Owl warns against danger. Though they think the Barn Owl and Horned Owl are demonic.

Latvia

When Christian soldiers entered his temple, the local pagan god flew away as an Owl.

Luxembourg

Owls spy treasures, steal them and hoard them.

Madagascar

Owls join witches to dance on the graves of the dead.

Malawi

The Owl carries messages for witches.

Malaya

Owls eat new-born babies.

Mexico

The Owl makes the cold North wind whilst the gentle South wind is made by the butterfly.

The Little Owl was called "messenger of the lord of the land of the dead", and flew between the land of the living and the dead.

Middle East

The Owl represents the souls of people who have died unavenged.

Mongolia

The Burial people hang up Owl skins to ward off evil.

Morocco

The cry of Owls can kill infants. According to Moroccan custom, an Owl's eye worn on a string around the neck was an effective talisman to avert the "evil eye."

New Mexico

The hooting of Owls warns of the coming of witches.

New Zealand

To the Maoris the Owl is an unlucky bird.

Newfoundland

The hoot of the Horned Owl signals the approach of bad weather.

Nigeria

In legend, Elullo, a witch and a chief of the Okuni tribe, could become an Owl.

Persia

Wizards use arrows tipped with a bewitched man's fingernails to kill Owls.

Peru

Boiled Owl is said to be a strong medicine.

Poland

Polish folklore links Owls with death. Girls who die unmarried turn into doves; girls who are married when they die turn into Owls.

An owl cry heard in or near a home usually meant impending death, sickness, or other misfortune. An old story tells how the Owl does not come out at during the day because it is too beautiful, and would be mobbed by other, jealous birds.

Romania

The souls of repentant sinners flew to heaven in the guise of a Snowy Owl.

Russia

Hunters carry Owl claws so that, if they are killed, their souls can use them to climb up to Heaven. Tartar shaman of Central Russia could assume Owl shapes.

Kalmucks hold the Owl to be sacred because one once saved the life of Genghis Khan.

Saxony

The Wend people say that the sight of an Owl makes child-birth easier.

Scotland

It's bad luck to see an Owl in daylight.

Siberia

The Owl is a helpful spirit.

Spain

Legend has it that the Owl was once the sweetest of singers, until it saw Jesus crucified. Ever since it has shunned daylight and only repeats the words 'cruz, cruz' ('cross, cross').

Sri Lanka

The Owl is married to the bat.

Sumeria

The goddess of death, Lilith, was attended by Owls.

Sweden

The Owl is associated with witch's.

Transylvania

Farmers used to scare away Owls by walking round their fields naked.

U.S.A

If you hear an Owl-cry you must return the call, or else take off an item of clothing and put it on again inside-out.

Wales

An Owl heard among houses means an unmarried girl has lost her virginity. If a woman is pregnant and she alone hears an owl hoot outside her house at night then her child will be blessed.

Yorkshire

Give children Owl broth to cure the whooping-cough.

I love owls... I can stand and watch them for hours and I adore the way they open one eye and give you the wary look!