The Owl Symbol

Symbols are cultural representations of reality. Every culture has its own set of symbols associated with different experiences and perceptions. They can be anything that conveys a meaning or two. While most of the symbols are many centuries old, their meanings have remained the same and been passed on to the face of our modern culture. 

Owls, being the birds of the night and birds of prey, have been embraced as a symbol associated with psychic powers, the "angel of death" and the goddess of night. Greek, Roman and Celtic mythology all employ owls as a representatives of spiritual influence. Not only that, Hinduism also uses the owl as a symbol of cosmic spirituality. 

Boreal Owl

Of all the various usages of owl symbolism, Native American religions and their shaman priests (witchdoctors) have placed upon the bird numerous spiritual associations. The Cree (One of the largest groups of Native Americans) believed that the whistle sounds of the Boreal Owl was a summoning call to the spirit world. If an Apache dreamed of an owl, it was believed that death was on its way. To this day, practitioners of Native American spiritual traditions hold that the owl represents vision and insight. 

Hedwig and Harry

In Africa, the owl is associated with witchcraft and sorcery, known as the "familiar of wizards". In Eastern Africa, the Swahili believe that the owl brings illness to children. Zulu in Southern Africa know the owl as a bird of sorcerers and in the Western part of the continent, the bird is considered a messenger of wizards and witches. In Madagascar, it is said that owls gather with witches to dance on the graves of the dead.


As a spiritual symbol, owls can be found throughout the world. Australia, China, Greenland, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia and Sweden all have cultures or mythical traditions that give spiritual significance to the owl.