The animal itself
Owl ears are set at different heights, letting them locate prey in total darkness by the tiny delay between sounds. Their flight is near-silent because of a comb-like fringe on the leading wing feather.1 of 2 calendars · 220 searches a month
Owl
Seeing in conditions others cannot.
Which calendar assigns it, and when
Native American calendar
23 November – 21 December
Its zodiac sign
Sagittarius
Only the Native American calendar assigns this one. Anyone born in these dates gets a different animal from the other system — the two agree on 4.7% of days →
What it stands for, and where that came from
Seeing in conditions others cannot — knowledge that comes with isolation.
Honoured in: Athena's owl as wisdom in Greece; a death omen in Rome and much of Africa; good fortune in Japan.
The symbolism usually grew out of the behaviour rather than the other way round — which is the part worth keeping when the rest is set aside.