why do we consider the owl to be wise?

Question

has that to do with

a)she has got big eyes

b) she is active in the night, so we dont know much about her, mysterious somehow

what other reasons?

Answer 1

Parrots are easy to train and can have extensive vocabularies. Hawks can be taught to retrieve objects. Even pigeons are used in behavioral studies and can be conditioned to obtain a reward by carrying out certain actions. But most species of owls can't be trained to do even the most rudimentary tasks. So why do we have the expression 'wise as an owl'? The most common answer - they look smart. And what makes them look so smart? It's their eyes. An owl's eyes are enormous compared the size of its head. In humans, large pupils are equated with focusing and attention being paid. An owl's large, dark eyes make it look like it is paying attention. Its eyes are also fixed in its head. In order for an owl to move its eyes, it must move the whole head. It gives an owl a intelligent gaze as it scans the surroundings.

http://www.scienceiq.com/ShowFact.cfm?ID=458

Owls are an amazing example of God’s handiwork. Depending on the species, owl eyes may account for one to five percent of its body weight. Owl eyes are fixed, forcing the bird to look straight ahead. However, an owl’s neck has 14 vertebrae, which allows it to turn its head throughout a wide range of motions. In fact, owls can turn their head a full 270 degrees! Truly owls are an incredible display of God’s creative nature. But the owl is more than just a magnificent creature; at least that’s what the world of mythology and the occult would like you to believe. As birds of the night and birds of prey, the owl has 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 representatives of spiritual influence. Hinduism also uses the owl as a symbol of cosmic spirituality.

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 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 held that death was on its way. Cherokee shamans viewed Eastern Screech-Owls as consultants on punishment and sickness. To this day, practitioners of Native American spiritual traditions hold that the owl represents vision and insight.

In Africa the owl is associated with witchcraft and sorcery. To the Bantu the owl is the "familiar of wizards." In eastern Africa, the Swahili "believe that the owl brings illness to children." Zulus 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. And 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.

"Symbols are oracular forms–mysterious patterns creating vortices in the substances of the invisible world. They are centers of a mighty force, figures pregnant with an awful power, which, when properly fashioned, loose fiery whirlwinds upon the earth."

http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/2002/carl-teichrib/8owl.htm

In Greek mythology, Athena is the goddess of wisdom and is regularly associated with the owl. She transforms herself into an owl sometimes.

http://www.owlpages.com/articles.php?section=Owl+Mythology

http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/owls_support.htm

A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren't we like that wise old bird? — Edward H. Richards

“Can grave and formal pass for wise, When Men the solemn Owl despise?” - Benjamin Franklin

owlish:

1. looking like owl: physically resembling an owl or a noticeable feature of an owl, especially its large round eyes or ear tufts owlish glasses

2. behaving like owl: displaying a characteristic attributed to owls, e.g. wisdom or solemnity

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?refid=1861636180

like an owl, especially in being wise or solemn.

http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/owlish?view=uk

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Owlish

http://ultralingua.com/onlinedictionary/index.html?service=ee&text=owlish

http://www.rhymezone.com/r/rhyme.cgi?Word=owlish

Owls got a reputation for being wise because their large eyes and stern, professorial glare make them look educated. Often, their eyes are "framed" as if they're wearing eyeglasses, which many associate with studious work. And their large, feathery heads seem to have plenty of room for big brains. But are owls wise? Well, they're smart enough to live close to people year round without being seen, captured or killed. That's smart!

The way Owls hunt is by listening first, looking second and reacting to what they have learned. This was proven by tests done by Cornell University.

The owl has been called a wise bird for the same reason that some men are thought to be wise — he looks wise. One reason he looks so steadily at you that you think he is studying you is because the light is so strong in the daytime that his sight is bad. But the owl is not as wise as he is said to be.

Inability to maintain eye contact is said to be the
characteristic feature of unsteady persons.

http://www.answers.com/topic/asperger-s-syndrome?cat=health

http://www.search.com/search?q=poor+eye+contact

Answer 2

Wise As An Owl

Answer 3

Tradition in some cultures-the ancient Greeks believed Athena was the Goddess of wisdom. Athena's pet and companion was the Little Owl. Some cultures (Egyptian, American Indian) considered the Owl a symbol of death.

Answer 4

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its just an american indian folktale. they are pictured as animals that know what they are doing. this all started when the indians mention how their eyes look so pensive hope i help out