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Anonymous
Did people get the idea of owls being wise simply from their huge eyes? Furthermore, are owls very intelligent birds?
>> Anonymous
Yes and no.
>> Anonymous
...OP has an intriguing question. For once.
>> Anonymous
http://www.owlpages.com/articles.php?section=Owl+Mythology&title=Owls+Lore+Culture&page=3

[O]wls represent wisdom and knowledge because their nocturnal vigilance is associated with that of the studious scholar or wise elder (Saunders 1995). According to one Christian tradition, owls represent the wisdom of Christ, which appeared amid the darkness of the unconverted (Saunders 1995). To early Christian Gnostics, the owl is associated with Lilith, the first wife of Adam who refused his advances and control. The owl had a place as a symbol in the King Arthurian legends since the sorcerer Merlin was always depicted with an owl on his shoulder.
>> Anonymous
I think the anthropomorphic facial structure (wide flat face with forward-pointing eyes), which is pretty much unique among birds, has a lot to do with it.
>> Anonymous
well, they look intelligent.
>> Anonymous
>>175162

Aren't owls the symbol of Athena, the goddess of wisdom?

That said, Owls are fucking stupid. Apparently training those owls to fly around in the Harry Potter films was a headache, and involved a lot of chopped up meat as incentive.
>> Anonymous
They're actually not that smart but they have superb hearing.
>> Anonymous
>>175210
And, get this, eyesight!
>> Anonymous
>>175213
YOU FILTHY LIAR!
>> choobeegoo
because they can see into your soul.
>> Anonymous
>>175534
And swallow it like a common field mouse.
>> Anonymous
>>175534
for once, anon is being honest. thank you.
>> Anonymous
Apparently owls are kinda dumb, at least according to a falconer. They are harder to train than raptors or vultures.
>> Anonymous
>>175928
Apparently vultures are pretty smart for birds. Maybe not corvid-smart, but more than an average avian.
>> Anonymous
>>175928

Apparently stupidity is relative. Because if one animal is smart, the other one HAS to be dumb.
>> Anonymous
>>175962

Apparently when something isn't smart, it gets called dumb.
>> Anonymous
>>175964
obviously deep, careful logic has concluded that the logical opposite of "smart" is "dumb." Only a fool would consider an answer like "the logical opposite of smart is 'not smart'" as having any sensibility or worth.
>> Anonymous
Obviously this thread makes me giggle.
>> Anonymous
I think somebody needs a nap.
>> Anonymous
nnnnnnnnnnnnthe little critters of nature, thats very funny... a fly marrying a bumble bee... I TOLD YOU I'D SHOOT! BUT YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE ME! WHY DIDN'T YOU BELIEVE ME!?
>> gizmogal !MmLOyiCYJs
>>176001
this is a song about a whale.
NO!
this is a song about being happy!
>> Anonymous
>>176069
that's right. its the happy happy joy joy song
>> Anonymous
>>175928

Speaking as a falconer, owls are pretty dumb birds. Keep in mind, those eyes take up two thirds of their skull. Which is a lot smaller than it looks once you remove their feathers.

However, owls are more than intelligent enough for what they do. And thus it isn't their intelligence level that makes them hard to train, but the fact they're lazy.

Your average owl hunting technique goes like this 'Sit somewhere high. Something moves underneath me. Fall out of tree like a sack of potatoes. Eat it.'

So training them to do anything more, to reliably come to a falconer, to actually chase prey and the like...it's more difficult. Also remember you're working with these birds in daylight, not their natural waking hours. So until they adjust, which some do faster than others, training them is going to be more difficult than training a bird who naturally operates during daylight.
>> Anonymous
>>176095
Oh God I lol'd at the mental images. :D
Wha-dump and suddenly there's a very confused bear wondering why an owl is belly down on it, trying to gnaw at its back fur...
>> Anonymous
>>176096
I think owls are smart enough to know that a bear isn't edible to them... or are they?
>> Anonymous
>>176108
You'd THINK they are, but...
Yeah...