Following the rescue of a baby spotted eagle owl at Hoërskool Kempton Park,we decided to look up some myths about these awesome birds.
The owl has been the top point of superstitions dating back to the beginning of time where myths have been spread throughout the world. Here are five of them.
1. Good Eyesight
In England the myth spread like wildfire when it was addressed that owls are known for their outstanding eyesight and through cooking an owl’s eggs until they were ash and making it into a potion, would give the person who consumed it better eyesight. Indian Folklore had a more direct method of eating an owl’s eyes.
2. Owl of Death
In many cultures, especially elderly people and Native American tribes, it is believed that the sight of an owl brings death to you or your closest relatives or friends. Some natives believed if you dream about an owl death is coming. Other tribes believed that owl calls were from spirits and if you replied with a whistle and didn’t get an immediate response, your death was inevitable.
Dakota Hidatsa people, also a native tribe, saw owls as good signs and by burrowing an owl it acted as protective spirits for their warriors.
3. Not all owls are bad
In Babylon, owl amulets were used to protect pregnant women. In the Lorraine region of France, owls are believed to help spinsters find husbands and in Romania, it is said that the souls of repentant sinners fly to heaven as Snowy Owls.
4. Owl Messengers
In some cultures they believed that owls were messengers for witches or they hooted to warn the approach of a witch.
5. Feathers for fire
In Afghanistan the myth stands that the owl gave man flint and iron to make fire and in exchange man gave the owl his feathers.
