I, an owl, a bird of prey!

owl

Undoubtedly the most underrated raptor

Has the cutest face

But dare to do the most cruel thing

(The round face and big eyes of the palm owl look particularly cute. Image source: Visual China)

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Looks like a fat ball

In fact, it is as light as a swallow

(Little Owl with vertical stripes on belly: "Who doesn't know some Qinggong?", photographer @Gin)

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Last second "smiling"

("Haha! Look who I found." The Snowy Owl seems to be grinning, picture source: @Visual China)

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The next second is fierce

(Eagle Owl: "It's time to work, be serious", photographer @朱润鹿)

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Land, water and air are their hunting grounds

Catching the "rats" is easy

Even dare to fight against other birds of prey

(Short-eared owl [left] vs. red kestrel [right]; most owls' staple food is small rodents such as voles. Large owls sometimes catch larger prey such as rabbits and salmon, and even attack birds of prey such as red kestrels and buzzards. Photographer @李宪)

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Actually

They have quietly "occupied" the world

From arid deserts to extremely cold lands

There are about 250 species of owls

In China, there are 32

(Please watch in horizontal mode. Owl is the common name for birds of the order Strigiformes, which are distributed on all continents except Antarctica. Photography by @Zhao Yongqing, Zou Tao, Feng Jiang, Wang Ao, Gin, Li Yanxia, ​​Huai Biaoyun, Lu Minglang, Han Xiaolin, Visual China, Wikimedia Commons, Map by @Zhang Qiyue/Planet Research Institute)

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Owls often hide in the darkness.

But it "hides" all kinds of misunderstandings and legends

People think that "night owls" are unlucky because they

The "Xiao" in "Xiao Xiong" refers to them.

The "Sacred Bird of Athena" is also them

(A horned owl with sharp eyes in the dark night, photographer @王斌)

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Now with the help of modern science

We were able to get a glimpse into the secrets of this hermit family.

One of the oldest birds on Earth

Their "hiding" has long surpassed the darkness

Hidden Figure

Night is the best cover for owls

Tens of millions of years ago

Their ancestors began to hunt at night.

Because there were a lot of small mammals that were active at night.

Provide them with adequate midnight snacks

And there are fewer competitors for staggered action

Today, most owls retain their nocturnal habits.

"Rat strips" are enough to keep you full at night

Recharge your energy during the day

Hide yourself

Adapt to changing circumstances

Always follow the "Hermit Way"

(Barn owl hunting at night, image source: @Visual China)

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The woods are a great hiding place

Tawny Owl

(Strix nivicolum)

Mottled feathers blend into the tree trunk

(A gray forest owl almost blends into the tree trunk, photographer @徐永春)

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Scops Owl

(Otus lettia)

The round body is embedded in the tree trunk

(A scops owl sitting in a tree hole, photographer @周权)

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Red horned owl

(Otus sunia)

Transformed into branches among the flowers and leaves

(A red horned owl with leaves on its head, like a branch extending out, photographer @周权)

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White-faced Scops Owl

(Ptilopsis leucotis)

Narrow the body and become as thin as a branch

(Some owls, such as the white-faced scops owl, will immediately fold their feathers and disguise themselves as branches when they encounter threats. Please see the appearance of the white-faced scops owl before "slimming down". Image source: @Visual China, Shutterstock)

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Even the same owl

Living in different habitats

It will also adapt to different feather colors

Low-key and dark

Can also be as bright as fire

(Some owls, such as the red horned owl, have different types of feathers ranging from gray-brown to reddish-brown to adapt to different habitats. Photographers @李艳霞&韩晓林, map @李雪茜/Planet Research Institute)

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Many owls are not just active at night.

They also move in the early morning or at dusk.

No matter how big or small, there is always a way to hide

Eagle Owl

(Bubo bubo)

On the rock wall, it seems to be petrified

The body is over half a meter long but has disappeared

(There is an eagle owl in the picture below. Have you found it? The eagle owl is one of the largest owls in the world, with a body length of more than 70 cm. Photographer @Ou Peng, map @Li Xueqian/Planet Research Institute)

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Little Owl

(Athene noctua)

Drilling into a cave on the cliff

Small footprints across Europe, Asia and Africa

(The Little Owl can move around all day and is most active at dawn and dusk. Photographer: @单成)

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delicate owl

(Micrathene whitneyi)

Burrowing into a cactus in the desert

The petite figure is comparable to that of a sparrow

(The owl, also known as the owl, is the smallest owl in the world, weighing only about 40 grams, equivalent to the weight of an egg. They mainly feed on insects and use the holes pecked by woodpeckers on cacti to build nests. Image source: Visual China)

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Most owls are active at night or at dawn.

But there are a few outliers that often come out in broad daylight

About 6 million years ago on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Grassland expansion and climate cooling

Prompting some owls to switch from night to day shifts

(In 2022, Chinese scientists discovered fossils of the diurnal Neopygmy Owl on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. They were an owl active during the day that lived about 6 million years ago and are now extinct. The following is a restoration image, image source @李志恒&郑秋旸, map @李雪茜/Planetary Research Institute)

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Today

Owls that are active during the day

Still mostly live in open areas

They lack the cover of dense forests

But still able to hide myself

Sharp Owl

(Surnia ulula)

Wearing a "striped shirt" in the northern forest

Bare branches like fallen snow

(The eagle owl lives in open woodlands in the north. It is one of the few owls that is active mainly during the day. Photographer @刘璐)

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Snowy Owl

(Bubo scandiacus)

Turned into white snow in the polar regions

Thick "down jacket" can withstand temperatures as low as -50°C

(The active time of snowy owls varies with the seasons; females and sub-adults have more black horizontal stripes, while adult males have whiter fur. Photographer @王奥)

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Little Owl

(Athene cunicularia)

Hiding in a cave in the wilderness

The family must be neat and tidy

(Burrowing owls live in holes dug by other animals; unlike most owls that live alone, they sometimes live together as a family; they also collect feces from other animals. Scientists speculate that this is to attract insects such as dung beetles as food. Image source: @Visual China)

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Short-eared Owl

(Asio flammeus)

Soaring on the grassland

The yellow-brown feathers look like dead grass.

(Short-eared owls are active during the day and at dawn and dusk. They mainly live in open savannas or prairies. Photographer @王奥)

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But no matter how well you hide it

Sometimes it is inevitable to be harassed

(A fierce owl was attacked by a gray magpie, looking helpless; owls exposed in open areas are sometimes besieged by a group of birds, the reason is still unclear, photographer @刘璐)

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Even the color of an owl's eyes matches the rhythm

Owls that are more nocturnal tend to have darker irises.

(There is a certain pattern between the color of an owl's iris and its active time, but there are also many exceptions; owls that are strictly nocturnal often have dark irises. Some scholars speculate that this makes them more concealed at night, but there is no definitive answer yet. Photography by Zeng Xiangle, Visual China, Map by Li Xueqian/Planet Research Institute)

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Day or night

Owls can become invisible

But for night walkers

What is more important is how to make the things around you visible.

At this time, the owl's eyes will open.

Night Vision Mode

On the surface

Their eyes are round and big

The eyeball weighs 2.2 times that of other birds of the same weight.

Can receive more light

(Northern scops owl with dilated pupils at night, photographer @周权)

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Looking deeper

Their eyeballs are uniquely pear-shaped.

Almost half of the head

The enlarged fundus is filled with rods

These cells are more sensitive to low light levels.

It can turn owls' eyes into low-light night vision goggles

(Some owls have a dark vision that is 100 times better than that of humans, and can see the night as if it were a cloudy day. Therefore, improper use of strong flashlights or flashlights during nighttime observations may cause harm to them. Image source: @Visual China, map by @Zhang Qiyue/Planet Research Institute)

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But the clever voles are also good at hiding

They hide deep in the grass or underground

Owls can't see through

This is where another skill comes in handy

Listen to the sound to determine the location

But it's not the "cat ears" on their heads that are responsible for hearing.

Their real ears are hidden on the sides of their heads.

(The ear-like feathers on the top of an owl's head are called ear feather tufts, which have functions such as expressing emotions and camouflage; the ear feather tufts of long-eared owls are very long, commonly known as long-eared wood rabbits. When they feel alert, the ear feather tufts will stand up straight. Photographer @Gin)

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Some owls have asymmetrical ear openings

By distinguishing the slight differences in the sound waves received by the left and right ears

They can pinpoint the source of the sound

(Even in the underground where they can’t see anything, owls can locate their prey by hearing. Image source: @Visual China, map by @Zhang Qiyue/Planet Research Institute)

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In fact, the entire face of an owl is part of the "ear"

The disc-shaped face is like the reflective surface of a satellite dish

Capable of collecting more sound waves and conducting them to the ear canal

Allowing them to hear the heartbeat of a mouse 8 meters away

(The face of the barn owl is round and concave, shaped like the reflective surface of a satellite antenna. The feathers on the face are arranged radially to direct the sound into the ear hole. Image source: @Visual China, map by @Zhang Qiyue/Planet Research Institute)

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Every feather

Every sense

All of these make the owl invisible at the same time

Able to understand the surrounding situation

But quiet observation is only the first step

The next action is more critical

The silent night amplifies every tiny sound

How can they hide completely?

Hidden whereabouts

As the night deepens

The Hunt is Coming

An owl has taken position

Night vision goggles-like eyes watching in the dark

The satellite dish is listening carefully.

(A spectacled owl is observing in secret, photographer @李艳霞)

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Targeting

It swoops down

Sharp claws attack from front and back

The prey is unaware

I thought it was a peaceful night until I died

(A long-tailed forest owl pounces on its prey; unlike the common 3 toes in front and 1 toe in the back of birds, owls often have 2 toes in front and 2 toes in the back, which allows them to hold objects more firmly. Photographer @Gin)

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To be so stealthy

First, it needs to know exactly where its prey is moving.

The eyes that look forward give it

Binocular Vision

This makes the world more three-dimensional

But the price is obvious - limited vision

(Comparison between the binocular vision of an owl and the monocular vision of other birds; the owl's beak is bent almost vertically downward, which also reduces the obstruction of vision. Map by @张琪月/星球研究院)

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It always looks forward.

In fact, it can't move its eyes at all.

Turning around makes too much noise

So it took a compromise approach

Flexible head turning

When it heard a strange noise behind it

The head will instantly turn to the back

It can even twist 270° horizontally

Turn sideways

(The American Eagle Owl turns its head horizontally 3/4 of a circle, image source: Visual China)

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Turn vertically

(Little Owl with vertical stripes on belly: "Let me see"; this way of turning may seem funny, but it helps the owl to form three-dimensional vision, picture source: @美华影像)

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Turn left or right

("What are you looking at?" The burrowing owl tilts its head, image source: @Visual China)

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Turn forward and backward

(The burrowing owl's "head-turn kill"; since the eyeballs are fixed, the owl changes its perspective by rotating its head, picture source @Visual China)

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Such a "suicidal" turn

Why don’t owls die of suffocation?

It turns out it has as many as 14 cervical vertebrae

Twice as many as humans

These cervical vertebrae have enough space inside for the arteries to move.

And it has a blood pump underneath its head.

Able to always ensure blood supply to the head

(Owl skeleton specimen, image source @Wikimedia Commons, drawing @Li Xueqian/Planetary Research Institute)

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With such a clever neck

It can see the widest field of view with minimal movement

However, flying will make more noise

Especially the noise of flapping wings can easily scare away prey.

But owls have a skill that no other bird can match.

Silent flight

Huge wings cut through the night sky

But silently

Only a ghostly shadow flashed by

(Some owls, such as grass owls and barn owls, make extremely weak noises when flying, which are inaudible to human ears; not all owls have the ability to fly silently, such as the hairy-legged fishing owl, photographer @曾祥乐)

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A series of large, strong feathers at the end of a bird's wings

Primary flight feathers

The edges of these owl feathers have a special structure.

Able to break up turbulent airflow passing over the wings

This reduces noise

(Schematic diagram of the structure of an owl's flight feathers. When the airflow passes through the comb-shaped outer edge of the primary flight feathers, it will be broken down into small vortices, and then dispersed when passing through the tassel-shaped trailing edge, thereby suppressing the generation of noise. Map by @张琪月/星球研究院)

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Not only that

Most of the owl's body

Even the legs and paws are covered with soft fur.

Can absorb sound waves like a sound-absorbing sponge

It is this kind of "wool pants" and "wool socks"

Let its legs stretch out towards its prey

Still calm

(The "scud" of the eagle owl; many owls have down on their wings, abdomen, neck and legs, which not only absorbs sound but also serves as a protective function. Photographer @李艳霞)

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Who would have thought

Under the owl's fluffy body

There is such a pair of long legs hidden

These strong long legs are not only suitable for air raids

Can also chase prey on the ground

(A Little Owl with vertical stripes on its belly running on the ground, just for illustration, photographer @李艳霞)

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Stand on one leg

(Little Owl with vertical stripes on one leg, photographer @李艳霞)

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Or dance a ballet

(The "enchanting dance" of the short-eared owl, photographer @赖宇宁)

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The big copper bell eyes that see through the night

Keen hearing for precise positioning

Flexible neck with 270° rotation

Silent cruise

Strong leg claws that can kill with one strike

It is with the cooperation of these weapons that

This "silent killer" can successfully capture dinner

(The "superpowers" of owls, taking the eagle owl as an example, photography @Kalavinka, Gin, Li Yanxia, ​​Wang Ao, Li Lu, Visual China, map @Zhang Qiyue & Li Xueqian/Planet Research Institute)

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In most daily

"Hidden" is the main theme of owl's life

Unexpectedly, this led to an indissoluble bond with humans.

Even lead to death

Hidden legend

As early as 30,000 years ago in prehistoric times

The owl appears on the mural.

(Prehistoric owl murals found in the Chauvet Cave in France, dating back 30,000 years, image source @Visual China, map @Li Xueqian/Planet Research Institute)

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Hidden strange figure

Hidden and uncertain whereabouts

This has caused humans to have all kinds of mysterious associations with them.

Created the image of an owl that is both good and evil

(A pair of short-eared owls are like mirror images in the air, one showing the dark gray side and the other showing the bright white side, just like humans' incomplete view of them, photographer @韩晓林)

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China's Shang Dynasty over 3,000 years ago

General Fu Hao ended her legendary life

She was the concubine of King Wu Ding of Shang

He was also a hero in expanding the territory.

In her rich burial objects

The most eye-catching is this owl-shaped wine vessel

Fuhao Owl Zun

(An owl-shaped vessel unearthed from the tomb of Fu Hao in Yinxu, photographer @吴其平, map @李雪茜/Planet Research Institute)

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Owl or owl is the name given to owls by ancient people.

Because he is good at killing prey in the dark.

The owl symbolized the brave god of war in the Shang Dynasty.

The Shang Dynasty worshipped the owl so much

The Book of Songs says

"The black bird of heaven descended and gave birth to the Shang Dynasty"

Among them, the totem of Shang Dynasty is "Xuanniao"

Maybe an owl.

(The above is from the Book of Songs: Shang Song. Emperor Ku [kù] was one of the Five Emperors. Legend has it that his concubine Jian Di ate a black bird egg and became pregnant and gave birth to Qi, who founded the Shang tribe. Some scholars believe that "black bird" refers to an owl, rather than a swallow or phoenix as in the mainstream interpretation. Photographer @柳叶氘, map @李雪茜/Planetary Research Institute)

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However, after the fall of the Shang Dynasty

The owl's fame gradually declined.

Even bear a bad reputation

Western Zhou Dynasty

The owl became an evil bird in the Book of Songs.

"Owl, owl, since you have married my son, please do not destroy my house."

(The above passage is from the "Chixiao" in the Book of Songs, National Winds, Bin [bīn] Winds, which means "Owl, oh owl! You have taken my child away, don't destroy my home again"; some scholars speculate that the Zhou people's hostile attitude towards their predecessors affected the status of the owl, and the number of owl-shaped objects also decreased. Photographer @柳叶氘, map @李雪茜/Planetary Research Institute)

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Since then, people's dislike for owls has only increased.

In the Han Dynasty, the owl became an officially recognized "unfilial bird"

Every summer solstice, it is cooked into soup and given to all officials.

Because they are said to eat their own mothers

(A chick of the Northern Horned Owl; the Eastern Han Dynasty's "Han Guan Yi" records: "On the summer solstice, all officials are given owl soup, in order to exterminate the species. On the summer solstice, the slight shade begins to rise, and all living things are alive. The owl harms its mother, so it is killed on this day." Photographer @赵俊)

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Not only that

And chop off the owl's head.

Hanging on a piece of wood

The term "beheading and displaying one's head to the public" comes from this.

Later generations also called tyrannical people "Xiao Xiong"

(A short-eared owl stands on a dead branch; the Eastern Han Dynasty's "Shuowen Jiezi" explains "owl, an unfilial bird, so every day when the day comes, the owl is caught and chopped, with the bird's head on the tree", photographer @曾祥乐)

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Owls don't actually eat their mothers.

Chicks still rely on their parents for feeding

In addition to rodents

Owls have a wide variety of prey.

Jumping on the ground

(The spotted owl holds a frog in its mouth. Small owls catch small animals such as frogs, lizards and insects. Photographer @怀彪云)

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Swimming in water

(The Hairy-legged Fishing Owl is good at fishing and is the heaviest owl in the world, weighing 2.95 to 4.6 kilograms. It has been listed as an endangered species by the World Conservation Union. Image source: @Visual China)

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Flying in the sky

(A fierce owl caught a small bird. Some large owls will also catch other small owls. Photographer @赵俊)

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Owls have a "weird" habit after eating

They vomit out the undigested food residues.

These pellets are called food pellets or food cocoons.

(A Little Owl is vomiting food pellets; the food pellets contain hair, bones and other residues of prey that the owl cannot digest; many birds vomit food pellets, and by analyzing the composition of the food pellets, scientists can understand their eating habits. Photographer @李艳霞)

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Until modern times

Owls are still a bad omen in traditional Chinese folk culture.

There is a saying that goes "When a night owl enters the house, there is nothing wrong with it."

Some owls make a shrill cry at night.

Sometimes they also hang around cemeteries.

All of these have deepened the dark image of the owl.

Make people associate it with bad luck and death

(The face of the barn owl looks a little eerie at night, picture source: Visual China)

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Modern research has found

Why are owls active around cemeteries?

In fact, it is because the environment there is suitable for animals such as rats to survive

Owls are simply attracted by the abundance of food.

Not only in China

Owls have similar secrets all over the world.

Owls in the eyes of people

Or as a god, revered by people

Or become a demon and be despised by others

In Ancient Egypt

It frequently appears in texts, paintings, and sculptures.

Even made into a noble mummy

(A mural in the tomb of Seti I, the Pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, with a hieroglyph of an owl, which is equivalent to the letter M. Photographer @张铭涵, map @李雪茜/Planetary Research Institute)

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In ancient Babylon

It is the messenger of the Queen of the Night

Good and evil

(A relief of the Queen of the Night collected in the British Museum, with an owl standing next to the Queen; there are two widely circulated versions of the identity of the Queen of the Night: one is the honorable Queen of the Underworld, Ereshkiga; the other is Adam's first wife, who fell because of betraying God. Image source @Wikipedia Commons, map @Li Xueqian/Planetary Research Institute)

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In Ancient Greece

It is the sacred bird of Athena.

Symbolizes wisdom and victory

(Athena and the owl on the ancient Greek red painted pottery vase; the scientific name of the genus Athene comes from Athena, picture source @Metropolitan Museum of Art, map @Li Xueqian/Planet Research Institute)

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In ancient Rome

The owl is the embodiment of the evil witch

It's a sign of death

(The picture below is for illustration only. In the center of this ancient Roman mosaic is an owl, and the surrounding birds died of jealousy. Image source @Wikimedia Commons, map @Li Xueqian/Planet Research Institute)

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As modern civilization unveils the mystery of owls

People are starting to realize that owls aren't scary

And he's also an expert mouse catcher

They have a wise and friendly image in mainstream culture.

(Ghost owls catch mice at night; an adult owl can catch three to four thousand mice a year, which is crucial to controlling the number of mice. Image source: Visual China)

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In modern culture

Hegel used it to symbolize philosophy

"The owl of Minerva does not fly until dusk"

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(The quote is from the preface to German philosopher Hegel's Philosophy of Right. Minerva in ancient Roman mythology is equivalent to Athena in ancient Greek mythology, and her owl is a symbol of wisdom and rationality)

Lu Xun also compared himself to an owl

“Being at home in darkness, seeing everything is dark”

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(Quoted from Lu Xun's "Ode to Night")

In contemporary culture

Owls are especially popular

Becoming a movie star

Become a provincial symbol

(The Snowy Owl is the messenger in Harry Potter and the provincial bird of Quebec, Canada. Image source: Visual China)

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Actually

Owls are not as smart as birds like crows.

It has nothing to do with fortune, disaster, or witchcraft.

All misunderstandings come from not understanding

They have no magic

But he does have "super powers"

Superb night vision, sound positioning, silent flight

And other abilities fascinate scientists

And try to apply it to technology

(Scientists are studying the application of owl wing structures to mechanical structures such as aircraft wings and fan blades to reduce noise and increase energy efficiency. The following picture is for illustration only. Photographer @李白的酒杯)

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Under the illumination of scientific civilization

Modern owls finally emerge from the darkness

No longer bear all kinds of unwarranted bad reputations

They are listed as protected animals in various countries.

Receive attention and assistance from conservation workers

(Staff at the Beijing Raptor Rescue Center are releasing a short-eared owl; in China, all owls are national protected animals, photographer @徐可意)

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For the same thing

Human views always change with the times

But no matter what meaning humans give to owls

This hermit family will never know

Let them

Hidden in the night

Hidden in the mountains

(Eagle owl under the moon, photographer @曾祥乐, map @张琪月/Planet Research Institute)

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This article was created by

Written by: Mirror

Image: Yang Qifan & Qin Nan

Design: Zhang Qiyue & Li Xueqian

Map: Liu Yao

Proofreading: Hu Qichen & Huang Taiji & Zheng Yi

Audit Expert

Guangxi Academy of Marine Sciences (Guangxi Mangrove Research Center) Dr. Zhu Lei

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