The Lesson of the Owl

The Lesson of the Owl

1991 9 September 14-15 The Lesson of the Owl (509) Generally, those who are influenced by superstition consider the sight of an owl to be a bad omen, for the owl is traditionally a portent of doom and destruction. But the truth is that the owl, just like everything else in this world, has its uses. In spite of its bad associations, it is a help to the farmer, for it preys on insects and small birds and animals which are harmful to the crops. Whether standing in the fields or stored away in granaries. The creatures on which it preys are mostly rodents, such as rats and mice, but it also kills lizards, grasshoppers and other large insects, beetles, small birds, bats, frogs, and snakes, etc. It thus prevents precious foodstuffs from being eaten away. There is a certain irony in the fact that this feared creature, the owl, kills things which are harmful to man, whereas man himself slaughters innocent, harmless creatures solely in order to celebrate his own supremacy.

There are over 130 species of owls which vary greatly in size, from the tiny elf owl, which is the same size as a pygmy, to the great eagle owl, which is nearly as large as the golden eagle. Some of the hawk owls have rather long, strong tails which enable them to turn sharply while flying in order to catch small birds in flight. But most owls have rather short wings and tail. This, however, is no disadvantage, for it is offset by their amazing capability for night hunting – silent flight. Although most owls have feathered feet, their claws are very sharp and they use all four of them as effective, killing weapons.

With one or two exceptions, owls are either still hunters or low-level gliders hunting in open country. As is well known, owls have remarkably good eyesight at night. But they have an even more remarkable aid for nocturnal hunting; three dimensional hearing. Owls possess facial discs shaped to trap sounds, and symmetrical ears which are located in different positions on each side of the head.

Even when hunting on a dark, moonless night, most owls are able to locate and strike their prey by sound alone.

The owls, therefore, generally locate their prey by the senses of sight and, above all, hearing, and taking full advantage of the darkness fall on the victim. Their completely noiseless flight gives them the advantage also of being able to take the unsuspecting animal, by surprise, (Hindustan Times, September 9, 1989)

Everyone of God’s creations has a role to play in this world. There is nothing which does not have a function. Even a creature like the owl has, as we have seen, its useful aspects. Now if a man leads the kind of life which is of no benefit to others, or he simply ceases to be of assistance to others, he becomes a harmful instead of a useful factor in society. In the eyes of God, he is worse than the owl. Such a man is of no use either to humanity or to God.