I love owls. They are great little hunters and they kill the rodents but my girlfriend is terrified of them. So what's the reason? Is it something about them being signs of death or an evil spirit? I find it hard to believe such beliefs can exist in the modern world. Another thing, whistling when being out in the dark! Really?

Lovely owls

You are not in the modern section of the world. I whistle a lot and get some strange stares. Then I increase the volume.

In Laos they are known as the spirit bird (Nok Phi) and are to be avoided at all costs. I have seen them for sale in some remote village markets and they are apparantly delicious.

I recently took the Mrs to England, we went to a safari park and watched a display with birds of prey, when the owl came out the Mrs did a runner.

Apparently they believe if an owl perches on a house then soon someone will die there, especially if there is already someone sick.

Whistling at night invites ghosts into your house.

No sillier than believing there's a sky fairy watching everybodies every move.

Philippine Eagle-Owl (Bubo philippensis)

Really? We had one fly into our house and not only did staff not do a runner, hubby went and caught it and let it go. No mention of death or anything. Maybe its a regional superstition.

If they hear an owl in our village, they believe somebody is going to die. The owls however are cocking a snook at them; early morning they perch in the vents at the top of the incinerator, one facing north, one east. The Asian Barred Owlets (which these are) also call frequently in the daytime, and the Collared Scops Owl is vocal at night.

I haven't noticed that many people dying, though.

I've always loved watching owls. Had a pair of Saw Whet Owls living near me once back in the USA and they were very curious and friendly, and not far from there had a Great Horned Owl attack me for being too close to its young which later would swoop over me when I mountain biked the trails there. My user pic is of an owl that flew into a window at the family house up in Mae Taeng. It stuck around for about 40 minutes nursing its headache until it flew off. Had not heard of the superstitions with them here in Thailand.

You are not in the modern section of the world. I whistle a lot and get some strange stares. Then I increase the volume.

The girlfriend and her superstitions are from the old world thats for sure but I am in England with her right now.

I was walking in the fields near my house when an owl landed on a hedge row and gave a hoot. It was dark by this time.

I quickly impersonated it by whistling. It's quite rare to see a wild owl here. The gf quickly sh*t br*cks. I found it hilarious. I'd forgotten about the beliefs

... an owl landed on a hedge row and gave a hoot...

I quickly impersonated it by whistling..

That, sir, it what is known as a Double Whammy...

If you had been cutting your finger or toe nails at the time you could have made the treble and sent her apoplectic.

Apparently they believe if an owl perches on a house then soon someone will die there, especially if there is already someone sick.

Whistling at night invites ghosts into your house.

No sillier than believing there's a sky fairy watching everybodies every move.

Philippine Eagle-Owl (Bubo philippensis)

That is how I heard it too. An owl is a sign of death for someone close by. Have to admit no-one did die though. But superstitions do flow deep within some communities.

We had 3 young ones outside our office that had fallen out of the tree. Not only were the staff not afraid of them but a lot of concern about their safety/health. They were brought into the office and everyone had to come and have a look.

A topic I started on them some time ago. Sad Owl

my wife was raving on about spirits as usual, told me to close the door as the dogs outside were howling at ghosts again.

i said the dam_n door won't stop em surely, i had enough and said out loud i openly challenge every spirit ghost and demon in thailand to kill me in my sleep if you can, and if you dont you are all pussies,

big mistake, she lost it.

I came across an exhausted/injured Owl on our back patio just after our daughter had been born. Knowing full well that the locals see Owls as symbols of death, I told my missus that it was her deceased father returning to look at his grand-daughter as a joke. That was a mistake as she took off in the direction of her mother's. I paid no more attention and returned to my computer. Ten minutes later I heard the mother-in-law talking on the patio. I goes and looks, and she's sitting next to the Owl asking it 'why he (her deceased husband) had come back'. The last I saw of the Owl was it being carried off to the temple by the mother-in-law who was happily chatting away to it.

Another story regarding Owls is of an old guy in the village who caught one. To show his power over death he plucked it alive before cooking and eating it. Who'd be an Owl in Thailand ?

I came across an exhausted/injured Owl on our back patio just after our daughter had been born. Knowing full well that the locals see Owls as symbols of death, I told my missus that it was her deceased father returning to look at his grand-daughter as a joke. That was a mistake as she took off in the direction of her mother's. I paid no more attention and returned to my computer. Ten minutes later I heard the mother-in-law talking on the patio. I goes and looks, and she's sitting next to the Owl asking it 'why he (her deceased husband) had come back'. The last I saw of the Owl was it being carried off to the temple by the mother-in-law who was happily chatting away to it.

Another story regarding Owls is of an old guy in the village who caught one. To show his power over death he plucked it alive before cooking and eating it. Who'd be an Owl in Thailand ?

Absolutely. It sucks having to be out all night catching your dinner and then have to take detours to tell the Thai's someone's about to die. It's a more relaible messaging system than the Thai post office I suppose.