Does hearing an owl mean death?

Answer 1

I hope not.I hear a lot of them where I live.
maybe it just means death for it's prey.

Answer 2

Hearing Owls At Night

Answer 3

Traditionally owls, like most nocturnal creatures, tend to be objects of superstitious fear.

Your question was a little short on details, so the best I can offer is what owl-call specific items I can find. (Most bird-sound superstitons depend a great deal upon *when* one hears or sees the bird in question—seeing an owl during the day, for example, is said to be unlucky.) All of the unlucky items below were/are thought to be doubly unfortunate if the hooting was heard by daylight.

In Western superstiton, the repeated calling of an owl near a dwelling (especially a screech-owl) was widely held to be foretell of a death (usually to someone within the dwelling, though some sources aren't specific on this point).

There is a variant that lists the repeated calling of an owl near one's home a death omen if it happens during three successive nights.

In Wales, it has been said that the continued cries of an owl around a village means some girl within the village will shortly lose her virginity.

There are some childbirth-related items as well. It has been said that if an owl cries at the moment the child is born, then that child will live an unhappy life.

In France it has been said that that if a pregnant woman hears an owl, then her child will be a girl.

Printed reference to owls and the hooting of owls being things of ill-omen date from Theophrastus in 319 BCE to 1981 CE.

Answer 4

Among the Menominee, Potawatomi and Ojibwa of the Western Great Lakes (Wisconsin and Michigan) the owl is associated with death.

Many Menominee, Potawatomi and Ojibwa I knew, believed that the owl not only fortold of an impending death, but that the owl actually brought death. I lived on the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin for five years (and taught there 18 years) and knew many Menominee who believed that if they heard an owl, it was a "bad" sign because it meant that someone was going to die. In 1991, the school librarian (a non-Indian) hung beautiful pictures of forest animals in the library--including a picture of an owl. The principal made her take the owl picture down because of all the complaints by the Indian staff and parents. Students were actually afraid of the picture.

I knew one Ojibwa medicine woman who had a very different explanation. She taught that the owl was associated with death because the owl was sent to help guide the souls to the other side. She was the one person who was not afraid of the owl. She felt that it was unfair to "blame" the owl for the death. She often said that to hear the owl was a good sign, because the death was going to happen anyway--and if you were going to die anyway, wouldn't you want a guide? She said, "what better guide than the owl?" She said the owl was doing the dead a "favor." Personally, I accepted her view.

Tribes of the Pacific Northwest also believed that the owl fortold of a death. This belief was made "famous" in the book I Heard An Owl Call My Name.

Answer 5

Some cultures do associate seeing an owl or hearing an owls to be a bad omen, but then other cultures, particularly native americans, associate owls with good luck, so it all depends on who you want to believe. Ravens and crows are also often considered bad omens or the messengers of the dead. Sparrows are said to be the carrier of souls as well. Guess you'll have to decide which bird is the "death" birdie.

Answer 6

Salem witch child... I would say I agree with you.. hearing an owl is a gift.. as today Friday April 18th I " heard " an owl today where i house/pet sit on occasions for the past 2 and half yrs now.. and I ( heard ) an owl today I have not heard one at all .. nor.. seen one.. until today.. Friday April 18 2014

Answer 7

No. As a matter of fact hearing an owl I would consider a gift.

Answer 8

The only thing I've heard regularly throughout my life is, "When the Owl calls, the Moon listens. When the Moon nods, the Owl flys."

I think most Wiccans and Pagans will understand.

Answer 9

no way, it's mearly a symbol used in shakes-beer to create a sense of drama, an owl would fly from a branch and call before a death or fight scene. supernaturally it has no relevance. but who knows really. they do say a bird in a house is a symbol of death.

Answer 10

No. That's ridiculous. I hear owls all the time where we live, mostly barred owls, that like marshy areas. I love to hear them - it's really neat.

Answer 11

I feel hearing an owl is about wisdom.