For generations, owls have carried all sorts of meanings. Some people see them as symbols of wisdom and knowledge, while others associate their calls with death, bad luck or a warning that something is about to happen.

In South Africa, stories and beliefs about owls are deeply rooted in different communities. For some, seeing one is a special encounter. For others, an owl calling outside their home is enough to make them uneasy.

A Facebook video shared by the Owl Rescue Centre in Hartbeespoort captures that fascination nicely. An owl appears to tap on a glass door while people watching try to make sense of its visit.

In the video, one woman can be heard saying: “If it brings something we can believe and trust, it’s from God, because an owl also represents wisdom,” one woman says.

Watch video here:

 

The owl’s behaviour has a simple explanation. It is reacting to its own reflection in the glass, says Brendan Murray of the Owl Rescue Centre in Hartbeespoort in the North West.

There has been a noticeable wave of social media posts and local news stories featuring owls in suburban and urban spaces across South Africa recently, with images of owls in gardens, on car bonnets and even outside hospitals.

Murray says there is a simple explanation. It is breeding season for spotted eagle-owls, and the youngsters are beginning to leave their nests.

“When those babies reach the five-week age, they jump out of their nest,” he explains.

That does not mean they are ready to fly off into the sunset, though. The young owls can spend another two weeks or more on the ground while their flight feathers develop.

“They haven’t got their flight feathers, but they can walk. Their legs are perfectly well developed,” Murray says.

And they certainly don’t spend all that time sitting quietly, waiting for their parents. “They want to chase things,” he says, explaining that little owls are curious, playful and sometimes rather adventurous. Their parents are generally close by, keeping an eye on them, bringing them food and protecting them.

An owl on your car? It happens

Caxton publications have carried several stories about these unexpected encounters in recent weeks.

In Middelburg, a spotted eagle-owl was photographed sitting on a car bonnet after Brett Nurden and his wife spotted it, the Middelburg Observer reported.

The bird even accepted a drink of water from a cup offered by the receptionist at the doctor’s consulting rooms.

Nurden and his son, Reginald, later shielded it from the sun with a jacket while arrangements were made to get it to a rehabilitation centre.

It is not every day that a hospital visit includes looking after an owl.

In Newcastle, another young spotted eagle-owl was found on the ground in an open field, with two dogs nearby.

Concerned for its safety, a local businessman took it home and contacted FreeMe Wildlife Rehabilitation for advice. The roughly 12-week-old bird was later rehabilitated and returned to its original territory, where it could reunite with its mother, the Northern Natal News reported.

In Fairland, Johannesburg, the owls have made themselves at home more permanently, the Northcliff Melville Times reported.

Resident Sam van der Berg had noticed owls in her neighbourhood in 2023 and installed an owl box in her garden. Three spotted eagle-owl chicks were recently ringed there.

Caitlin Brodie of EcoSolutions said spotted eagle-owls and barn owls were among the species most commonly encountered in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs.

Ringing allows conservationists to identify individual birds and learn more about where they go and how they survive.

Across the country, people are also stepping up to protect and better understand these often misunderstood birds.

In Vryheid, Annemarie Roux has become something of a local celebrity as the town’s ‘owl lady’.  She rescues injured owls and helps residents understand why these birds need protection, the Northern Natal News reported.

Another video shared by the Owl Rescue Centre yesterday (November 11) shows an owl being lifted from a water feature in Bedfordview. The centre said the bird was suffering from trichomoniasis, a parasitic infection that can make swallowing difficult and cause severe dehydration and weight loss.

It urged people to call for help if they see an owl sitting in or near water and appearing weak or distressed, as the condition can be treated if caught early.

Watch video here:

 

They are not lost; they are finding a home

So why do owls seem quite comfortable in our suburbs?

Murray says towns and cities offer plenty of food and suitable nesting sites. Rats, mice and pigeons are readily available, while chimneys and owl boxes provide nesting opportunities.

“That’s how they live here,” he says.

Their nighttime activity also has a practical explanation. Rats and mice are active at night, so owls hunt when their food is out and about.

And what about that reputation for wisdom? Owls certainly have an impressive appearance, with their large forward-facing eyes and seemingly serious expressions. But Murray points out that they are not the only clever birds around. Crows, for example, also rank highly in bird intelligence.

As for the belief that an owl calling outside your home means death is near, there is no scientific basis for treating it as a warning. It is simply a bird going about its business.

Before you pick up that owlet …

Murray’s main message is that a young owl on the ground doesn’t necessarily need rescuing.

It may look helpless, particularly when it cannot fly, but its parents are often nearby. Picking it up and taking it away could separate it from the very birds looking after it.

Keep dogs away, give the young owl space and resist the temptation to handle it. If it appears injured or is in immediate danger, contact a wildlife rehabilitation organisation for advice.

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