Owl, Rochester Bestiary, c.1230

The owl, named for its distinctive hooting, is a feathered, sluggish bird that resides in caves and hollows both day and night. According to Ovid, it is a "loathsome bird, messenger of approaching sorrow," seen as a dire omen. Augurs believed its presence in town heralded desolation. In Leviticus, the owl symbolises the contemplative or believers overwhelmed by earthly worries, deemed an unclean bird whose actions should not be imitated.

Isidore states that the night owl (noctŭa) and the night heron (nyctĭcŏrax) are the same, although Deuteronomy lists them separately among unclean birds, suggesting they are different. The night owl, he believed, flies at night and is blinded by daylight. Ambrose adds that its sight weakens in the sun, causing it to wander aimlessly in bright light. Notably, Crete lacks this bird and any that arrive die immediately.

Isidore differentiates the larger owl (būbo) from the smaller night owl (noctŭa), associating the night heron (nyctĭcŏrax) with the owl (būbo) due to its nocturnal nature. These birds, unclean in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, represent actions to be avoided, such as fornication and lust, paralleling the Gentiles' nocturnal prey.

The screech owl (strix), noted for its cries, differs from the aforementioned birds. Lucan describes its lament alongside the horned owl. The screech owl, called amma for its care for its owlets, symbolises those who study stars and constellations, delve into darkness, and believe they understand the heavens. Yet, they fail to see Christ, the true light, remaining blind leaders of the blind.

Bubo a sono vocis; compositum nomen habet. non in alio
Avis feralis. honusta quidem plumis. set gra-
vis semper decenta pigricie. In speluncis die ac noc-
te moratur. et semper commorans in cavernis. De qua
ovidius. Fedaque sit volucris venturi iiiintia luctus;
Ignavus bubo. durum mortalibus omen. Denique
apud augures; malum portendere fertur. Nam
cum in urbe visa fuerit; solitudinem significare di-
cunt. In levitico hec avis contemplatiuum vel quem
libet fidelem significat. cuius conversatio in celis esse
deberet. sed tristatur de commissione terrenorum Unde
et ibi inter inmundas aves reputatur. cuius car-
nibus vesci illicitum est; idest acciones imitari. Se-
culi enim tristicia mortem operatur. Qui autem deum
diligit debet gaudere. sine intermissione orare. in omnibus
gracias agere.

The owl gets its name from the sound of its hooting; it has a compound name. It is a wild bird, loaded with feathers, constrained by sluggishness. It dwells in caves both day and night but always remains in clefts and hollows. Ovid writes thereof: “He has become a loathsome bird, messenger of approaching sorrow, the lazy owl (bubo), a dire omen for mortals.” (Met. 5.549). Augurs believed this bird to portend bad omen: when it is seen in town, it is believed to portend desolation. In Leviticus, this bird signifies the contemplative or any believer whose way of life should be in the heavens but is beset by earthly worries. Hence, the owl is enumerated among the unclean birds whose flesh it is forbidden to eat, that is, whose actions are not to be imitated. Worldly sorrow leads to death but he who loves God ought to rejoice, pray uninterruptedly and give thanks in all things.

Noctua et nicticorax secundum ysidorum eadem avis
est. licet in deuteronomio cum una numeretur
inter inmundas aves; statim subiungatur de alia.
quod et ipsa inter inmundas aves habenda sit. Quod
quidem videtur probare quod diverse sint aves. Noctua
igitur sive nicticorax secundum ysidorum dicitur; quod nocte
circumvolet et per diem non possit videre. Nam ex orto
splendore solis; visus illius tanquam habentis glaucas
oculorum pupillas ut dicit ambrosius; hebetatur.
Et quantum fuerit vox obscurior; eo contra usum
aliarum avium; in offensos exercet volatus. Solis
autem lumen illius tenebre est. Et quanto di-
es clarior. tanto plus in ea quasi in tenebris ober-
rat. Hanc autem cretensis insula non habet. et si-
veniat aliunde; statim moritur. Noctua autem
non est bubo ut dicit ysidorus; nam bubo maior
est. Nicticorax; ipsa est noctua. quia noctem amat
Est enim avis lucifuga et solem videre non patitur.
Hec avis in levitico sive in deuteronomio inter inmun-
das reputatur. cuius carne vesci illicitum est. quia
nemo actionem illius imitari debet; qui noctis operibus

According to Isidore, the night owl, noctŭa and the night heron, nyctĭcŏrax, are the same bird, although they are enumerated among the unclean birds in Deuteronomy; another bird is mentioned immediately after and regarded as unclean: this seems to prove that they are different birds. Isidore believed that the night owl or night heron flew about at night and could not see during the day. The bright light of the sun weakens its sight, as Ambrose[1] says. Unlike other birds, its screech is hoarse and flies about in the dark where it may bump into obstacles. However, the light of the sun is its darkness. The brighter the day, the more it wanders about as if it were in the dark. The island of Crete does not have this bird and should it come from elsewhere, it immediately dies. However, the owl, būbo, is not the same as the little owl, noctŭa, as Isidore says, for the owl, būbo, is larger. The night heron (or night raven), nyctĭcŏrax, is the same as the owl, būbo, for it loves the night. It is a nocturnal bird and cannot endure the sun. This bird is regarded as unclean in Leviticus or Deuteronomy and its flesh is not to be eaten: its actions should not be imitated by those who crave the works of the night

inhiat. Que sunt fornicatio. Inmundicia. Inpu-
dicicia. et cetera. Tales erant gentes. quia nicticorax tamen
nocte rapit. Et est nicticorax quasi noctis corvus.
Vel hec avis figuram tenet iudeorum qui non potue-
runt videre christum verum solem qui illuminat O
ho vi h mundum. Et plus dilexerunt tenebras.
quam lucem. Unde dixerunt. Non habemus regem nisi
cesarem. Et attende quod strix nocturua avis; alia
avis est; quam noctua. vel nicticorax. vel aliqa aliarum
premissarum. quia eam post alias ponit ysidorus. Strix enim
dicitur; quia cum clamat; stridet. De qua lucanus.
Quod trepidus bubo quod stric nocturna queriuntur.
Hec strix; vulgo dicitur anima. ab amando parvu-
los. Unde et lac prebere fertur nascentibus. Noctua igitur
sive nocticorax sive strix que est nocturna avis sig-
nificare possunt illos qui in nocte stellas contem-
plantur et cursus siderum. demoniorum tenebrosa
rimantur. et celi altitudinem se videre credunt. des-
cribentes radio mundum mensuram quoque aeris col-
ligentes. lumen tamen quod christus est. nec fidem eius qui in proxi-
mo est. quia ceci sunt et duces cecorum; videre non possunt.

such as fornication, lust, sexual impurity and so on. Such were the Gentiles, for the night heron preys at night. The night heron is similar to the night raven. This bird represents the Jews who could not see Christ, the true sun who illuminates the world. They loved darkness more than light. Hence, they shouted, "We have no king but Caesar."[2]

Note that the strix, the screech owl, a nocturnal bird, is different from the owl, the night heron or any of the other aforementioned birds, for Isidore lists it after the others. The strix is called so, for it screeches when it cries. Lucan says thereof: “That which the restless horned owl and the nocturnal strix lament” (Civil War 6.689). The screech owl is commonly called amma[3], for it loves its own owlets, whence it is said to provide milk to its hatchlings. Therefore, the owl or night heron or screech owl, which is a nocturnal bird, may symbolise those who contemplate the stars at night and the motion of constellations, who examine the darkness of demons and those who believe they can see the height of the heavens by drawing the world with the surveying rod and by measuring the air. However, they cannot see the light, which is Christ, nor can they perceive the faith of those who are near, for they are blind and leaders of the blind.

Ulula est avis a luctu vel planctu nominata. Cum
enim clamat; aut fletum imitatur; aut gemitum non in alio
Unde apud augures. filamentetur; tristiciam. tacens;
ostendere prosperitatem; Et est magnitudinis corvine.
sed maculis respersa. que rostro in palude fixo; or-
ribiliter ululat et stridet. Significat hec avis;

The screech owl is a bird named after mourning or weeping. For when he cries, he either imitates a cry, or a moan. And it is of the size of a raven, but sprinkled with spots, which fixed its beak in the marsh, howls and screeches horribly. This bird signifies

mistice demones sive hereses et vicia alia que
habitant in mente confusa. Unde ysaias de b-
bilone dicit post alia. Et respondebunt ibi ulu-
le; in edibus eius. et sirene in edibus voluptatis.

Further Reading

David Badke, The Bestiary Blog: Animals in the Middle Ages, Owl, November 6 2023, https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast538.htm

Mynott, J, Birds in the Ancient World (New York: Oxford University Press 2018)

Josh Goldenberg (BA 2012) and Matt Shanahan (BA 2014), Logeion, November 2022, https://logeion.uchicago.edu/

Castiglioni, L. and Mariotti, S. (1996). Vocabolario della Lingua Latina: Latino-Italiano Italiano-Latino. Terza Edizione. Loescher Torino

Curley, M. J., Physiologus: A Medieval Book of Nature Lore (University of Chicago edition 2009)

Rackham, H., M.A., Pliny Natural History Volume III, Libri VIII-XI (London: William Heinemann Ltd, 1949)

Collins, A. H., M.A., Symbolism of Animals and Birds (New York: McBride, Nast & Company, 1913)

Henderson, C., The Book of Barely Imagined Beings (London: University of Chicago Press, 2013)

White, T. H., The Bestiary: A Book of Beasts (New York: G.P Putnam’s Sons, 1960)

Matthews, J. and Matthews C., The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A-Z of fantastic beings from myth and magic (London: HarperElement, 2005)

Barney, S. A., Lewis, W. J., Beach A., Berghof O., The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006)

Endnotes

[1] The text is most probably referring to Saint Ambrose, known as Ambrose of Milan, who was a prominent church father and theologian, known for his influential writings and contributions to Christian doctrine. Ambrose of Milan did write about various topics, including nature and animals.

[2] John NKJV 19:15: But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!”

[3] Probably from the verb amāre to love.