Owls are beautiful and mysterious birds. For some cultures, they’ve also been a symbol of wisdom for thousands of years.
Naturally speaking, these special raptors are master hunters, and many are top avian predators in their nocturnal realms. Even smaller owl species have to be careful of bigger owls that would prey on them!
Owls know how to catch prey and hide during the day, but how smart are they really? Are they truly wise birds that retain information and learn from experience?
Owls Are Not The Smartest
Crows and parrots are clearly smart birds but what about owls? If I’m lucky to find an owl in the day, the bird seems smart enough to hide well. I find an owl at night, and it’s also clearly very aware of its surroundings.
However, even though other raptors like eagles and hawks seem fairly intelligent, that’s not the case for owls. These fluffy birds might be highly adept hunters, but they aren’t very smart.
How’s that possible? Owls are so good at catching mice and other prey in the dead of night; how can they not be intelligent?
Ironically, some of very reasons why owls are so good at catching small animals are also why they aren’t as smart as some other birds.
Intelligence is mostly measured by brain space and when it comes to owls, a large part of their brain is dedicated to sensory perception.
Basically, that means owls have to use more of their brain to see in the dark and hear well instead of figuring things out. It makes sense, after all, as long as they can detect an animal in the dark and catch it, they have something to eat.
Why do people think owls are wise?
If owls aren’t that smart (at least compared to other birds), why do they symbolize wisdom? Why do owls seem like the perfect poster child for wise contemplation?
Owls aren’t dumb, but they aren’t wise either. The connection between owls and wisdom is ancient and shows how erroneous ideas about animals can linger in cultural consciousness for centuries. The idea comes from ancient Greece and the goddess Athena.
Athena was often pictured with a Little Owl and since she was also the goddess of wisdom (among other things), owls likewise became associated with wisdom and knowledge. No one really knows why the Little Owl became associated with Athena, but it might stem from the belief that owls must be wise because they can see in the dark.
Some historians believe that Little Owls were shown with Athena because the goddess was another variation of deities associated with owls and other birds. Or, showing owls with Athena might simply be related to Little Owls being common birds in Greece!
Whatever the reason, the ancient Greek link between owls and wisdom carries on to this day. When we see roosting owls, their big eyes and contemplative appearance also plays into that belief, even if it’s false.
Still, Owls Are Powerful Hunters
Owls might not be as smart as eagles, but they are just as lethal. Essentially, owls are highly evolved predators that catch animals in amazing situations.
Many owls detect and easily catch rats and other rodents on very dark nights. They also catch prey running beneath snow in the middle of winter!
Birds like Boreal Owls and Great Gray Owls accomplish this with extremely sensitive hearing and vision adapted to seeing movement in low-light conditions. To help pinpoint a vole making quiet scratching sounds at night, these and several other owl species have one ear slightly higher than the other.
When they hear their prey, they fly out, swoop low, and reach down with their talons to snatch the small rodent. Most other owls hunt in a similar fashion to catch rodents, birds, and other small animals. All owls also quickly kill their prey with strong feet tipped with sharp talons.
Some owls also hunt by flying low over fields and other open habitats. This is how Barn Owls, Short-eared Owls, Long-eared Owls, and some related species in other parts of the world hunt for rodents and small birds.
As they fly around, they watch and listen for prey and then dive down to catch the animal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How intelligent are owls compared to other birds?
Compared to other birds, owls aren’t as intelligent. They use their instincts to hunt prey and avoid predators but don’t figure out complex situations.
Are owls self-aware?
Owls are not self-aware. They might be but there’s no indication that they recognize themselves when they look in a mirror.
Do owls have emotions?
Yes, owls have emotions. They probably don’t feel the complex array of emotions that we do but owls do show affection, fear, and might also show anger.
How big are owl brains?
Owl brains are not as big as some other birds. Much of their brain space is taken up by room for their huge eyes.
What is an owls strongest sense?
An owls strongest sense is its hearing. Owls have incredibly sensitive hearing when catching animals in the dark.