The Little Owl (Athene noctua) In Human Culture And Sains

Hi Steemians... Owls are predators of small mammals, insects, or birds, also some species specialize for fish hunting. So far there are about 200 species of owls scattered around the world, one of which is a little owl (Athene Noctua).

Canon Eos 7D | Lens EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM | 278.0mm · f/10.0s · 1/640s · ISO 1600

The little owl (Athene noctua) is a bird that inhabits most tropical and warm regions of Europe, east Asia to Korea, and northern Africa. It was introduced to England in the late nineteenth century and entered the South Island of New Zealand in the early 20th century.

I took this picture in some areas of Aceh forest, in my wanderings some time ago. for details you can read it in the quote below.

This small owl was introduced to the UK in the 19th century. It can be seen in the daylight, usually perching on a tree branch, telegraph pole or rock. It will bob its head up and down when alarmed. In flight it has long, rounded wings, rapid wingbeats and flies with a slight undulation.

Breeding Bird Survey data suggest that Little owl numbers are declining, with the UK population estimated to be down by 24 per cent between 1995 and 2008.
Read more at www.rspb.org.uk

Canon EOS-1D X | Lens EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM | 400.0mm · f/13.0s · 1/250s · ISO 800

Canon EOS-1D X | Lens EF500mm f/4L IS USM | 500.0mm · f/13.0s · 1/100s · ISO 200

In human culture

Most people believe owls as a mystical symbol, but different from me, only for the development of science.

In ancient Greek life, Owls have often been depicted from the Upper Palaeolithic onwards. which is depicted in sculptures, paintings or pottery, also found in coins.

Image Source

You can read it in the quote below,

Owls have often been depicted from the Upper Palaeolithic onwards, in forms from statuettes and drawings to pottery and wooden posts, but in the main they are generic rather than identifiable to species. The little owl is, however, closely associated with the Greek goddess Athena and the Roman goddess Minerva, and hence represents wisdom and knowledge. A little owl with an olive branch appears on a Greek tetradrachm coin from 500 BC (a copy of which appears on the modern Greek one-euro coin) and in a 5th-century B.C. bronze statue of Athena holding the bird in her hand. The call of a little owl was thought to have heralded the murder of Julius Caesar. The genus name, Athene commemorates the goddess, whose original role as a goddess of the night might explain the link to an owl. The species name noctua has, in effect, the same meaning, being the Latin name of an owl sacred to Minerva, Athena's Roman counterpart.

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Read the reference :

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_euro_coins
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_owl
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owl#Behavior
• https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/l/littleowl/