Barred Owl
Meaning & Symbolism
Protective Guide
The Barred Owl, with its distinct call and striking barred feather patterns, symbolizes curiosity, vigilance, and protection. Known for the unmistakable “who cooks for you?” call, the Barred Owl reminds us to stay curious and use our voice to seek answers. This sense of curiosity invites us to explore the world around us, ask the questions that matter, and listen carefully for the wisdom in what we hear. Just as the Barred Owl uses its keen senses to navigate the night, we, too, can embrace our innate curiosity as a tool for learning and growth, allowing us to explore new ideas and paths in life.
Vigilance is a key trait of the Barred Owl, which is always alert to its surroundings. This Owl is a master of observation, watching for even the smallest movement in the forest as it silently hunts. As humans, we can learn from the Barred Owl’s vigilance by staying aware of the things that matter most in our lives. Whether it’s paying attention to our emotional well-being or keeping watch over our loved ones, practicing vigilance helps us stay grounded and prepared for life’s challenges. By cultivating this attentiveness, we protect ourselves from potential threats and ensure that we are able to act when needed.
The protective symbolism of the Barred Owl is also reflected in its name, which comes from the bar-like patterns on its feathers. These markings are not a sign of limitation, but rather a strong representation of boundaries. Barred Owls know how to establish and enforce their personal boundaries, showing self-respect and demanding the same from others. By radiating this self-assurance, we, too, can protect our energy and our well-being by setting clear boundaries. It’s a reminder that protection is not about isolation, but about knowing what we need to feel safe and secure, and having the courage to defend those needs.
In many cultures, Owls, including the Barred Owl, are seen as spiritual guides, especially when it comes to death and the afterlife. They are believed to carry the souls of loved ones to the other side, offering a protective and gentle passage. This symbolism invites us to reflect on how we can be guides for others in our own lives, providing comfort and protection to those who need it, especially in times of grief or transition. Just as the Barred Owl offers protection and guidance in the night, we can be vigilant caretakers for those we love, watching over them and helping them navigate life’s darker moments.
Different Owls offer a variety of other symbolism:
Barn Owl: Symbolism: stealth, mystery, and silent guidance. The Barn Owl’s nearly soundless flight teaches us to navigate life’s challenges with discretion and to trust unseen paths.
Great Horned Owl: Symbolism: strength, adaptability, and fierce determination. As a powerful predator with keen hunting skills, the Great Horned Owl teaches us to face challenges head-on, using all our available resources.
Pygmy-Owl: Symbolism: resilience, courage, and resourcefulness. Small but bold, the Pygmy-Owl embodies the power of standing tall despite your size, using quick thinking to overcome obstacles.
Screech Owl: Symbolism: transformation, listening, and inner awareness. With their ability to blend into their environment, Screech Owls encourage us to listen more deeply to the subtle shifts around us and embrace personal change.
Snowy Owl: Symbolism: clarity, focus, and intuition. The Snowy Owl, with its pristine white feathers, symbolizes seeing through the fog of life’s distractions and trusting in your inner wisdom to guide you.
Tawny Owl: Symbolism: perspective, insight, and understanding. With its wide range of vocalizations and keen night vision, the Tawny Owl reminds us to broaden our view, see situations from different angles, and trust the wisdom gained from diverse experiences.
-Tanya Casteel ©Cosmic Animals
Cosmic Animal Cards & Guidebook
I want to hear about your Owl experiences. What stories or dreams have YOU had? Please share and join in the conversation below!
I have had some strange things going on this last week and when I try to explain my thoughts and feelings, my husband just laughs so I came across your postings and I am so thankful. For the last year and a half we have had 2 owls that stay in between our house and our neighbor across the streets house. We always would hear them at night occasionally. Some months would go by without noise. I’ve seen them at night only a handful of times. Within this year I have been diagnosed with an immune deficiency, asthma and had a hysterectomy.Now my gallbladder is needing to be taken out and the doctor found small nodules in my lungs but not too concerning. I haven’t felt well the last mo th and I’m not recovering that good from the hysterectomy which also led to pneumonia. I’m a mess. My immunologist is talking about me neding to do immunoglobulin transfusions weekly because my body is not responding to any boosters they give me. Anyway, so 4 days ago I dropped my kids off at school and when I got home I hear crows cawing and making a loud commotion, squirrels start going crazy and other birds too. It took a few minutes for me to finally see what the issue was but they were right outside my patio window. At first I didn’t see anything except the crows flew off when I came out and the other birds did too. It was 930am. The clouds were moving fast and I looked up one last time and 2 owls were right above my head staring at me. At first I was creeped out. I thought it was odd. They were right where the group of crows were. But I grabbed my camera and took some pics. I went inside and they let out 3 hoots. Maybe a few minutes later I went back out and 3 turkey vultures were flying around my yard. I wasn’t smelling any dead animals so I thought it was odd too. One vulture perched itself on my neighors tree limb that is low to the groud and watched me. The other 2 kept soaring in circles. This continued all day. The owls never left and the vultures stayed. However, no matter where I went I have turkey vultures flying high in the sky. I always see 3. I feel like they are following me. I am driving and they are there. When I pull into my destination, they are there. My husband just says there are just dead animals everywhere. The only time there was more than 3 was yesterday when I got to my destination, 3 were constantly there when I was driving but when I went to get back into my car to leave to come home, a flock of atleast 10 had shown up. I feel spooked. I haven’t seen the owls again however, everytime I step outside in the daytime I hear only 1 hoot. I am certain that there is some kind of meaning to this.
This a quite a unique story, thanks for sharing. Owls showing up to stare at you in the daylight and vultures showing up in 3s, yes I would say that sounds significant. Raven is my main spirit animal and crows often show up for me to get my attention, so I liked hearing that the crows started cawing and making a commotion. You might also be interested in checking out my vulture page: http://www.tanyacasteel.com/project/vulture/ for more insights (they are great at purifying). And I’d be curious to see the photos you took of the owls if you feel like sharing: [email protected] . It’s hard to say what the exact meaning is for you at this time, but the birds are definitely communicating with you. Keep watching and try talking back to them. It sounds like owls have been watching you for a while. They could very well be bringing you comfort and healing as they can feel the situation you’re in. I wish you the deepest blessing with your healing journey.
I came back searching for this post as I just started having the exact same occurances with the owls, vultures, crows, and now I had a Redtailed Hawk sitting on top of my garage when I pulled in and it just sat there and watched me until I got out and walked towards it. It flew off then came back right above my head from left to right. But as an update to my previous experiences in January that I wrote about I can say that I believe those birds were sending me warnings. My son ended up telling me one night that he had seen the owl in his window 2 times that last week of January. I ended up in the E.R. Feb 1st in the beginning of sepsis and having to have surgery to get my gallbladder out as an emergency. I was in the hospital for a couple days. I came home and the owl was perched on the wires in front of my house and it spread its wings out, that is how I noticed it, it stayed like that until I walked inside. The next day my brother in law committed suicide. I stopped seeing all the birds immediately. I went to his house a few days later and on his patio was a wooden statue of an owl that he carved. It stopped me in my tracks.
Last night many owls surrounded my house at around 1 a.m. What does that mean?
Wow, that sounds very powerful. It makes me think of Harry Potter and owls delivering messages, ha. To discover the meaning for you I would think about what has been going on with you in your life during this event. I would also research what phase was the moon in during this event to see if you can draw any further connections. Spirit animals often speak to us in symbols that are not immediately clear to us. Be patient, keep aware, and trust any feelings you get about the possible meaning for you.
I was in the woods and I randomly thought about seeing an owl. About ten minutes later I spotted one up in the trees and made eye contact with it. One minute later another one flew by and landed on the same branch. I couldn’t believe that my random thought led to an event in reality. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?
A few years back My wife and I were driving home About a quarter mile from our house on the side of the road stood a Barred Owl. I asked her to pull over and I walked up to the Owl. I lowered my arm to his feet and he climbed on. Normally this was a busy road but empty at the time. Either way he wasn’t going to be safe there for long. It was dark, so I decided to walk him to the house where I could see if he was injured. When we got for the house, I places the Owl on a stump to turn the lights on. It took me maybe 30 seconds to do so. I turned back to the Owl and he/she was gone. Neither one of us heard it take flight and did not see it anywhere the ground. After that night we started hearing an Owl in the woods. At our new place we have Screech Owls around us. Ill never forget that day
Whoa! This story gave me chills. Thanks for sharing! So magical. Strong owl magic runs through you and that land.
That is beautiful- you protected the owl and now the owls protect you!