Bad Luck . . . Who gives a Hoot?
This month’s question comes to us from a land far, far away. Well, not that far away. Alright, it’s from one of my coworkers down the hall. But, it launches us into uncharted territory here at the Sonoran Explorin’ desk – the land of superstition.
One of our fine CVB staffers, who shall remain nameless, would like to know:
Is it bad luck to see an owl in the daytime?
Courtney, Courtney, Courtney . . . having a slow week in the convention sales department, are we? Oooops, there goes that whole “remaining nameless” thing. Oh, well. Sorry, Courtney. Darn! I did it again.
As far as I can deduce, it depends on who you talk to and how superstitious you are. In some cultures, owls represent wisdom and knowledge. To see one is considered good luck and an indication that you will be blessed with deep insight. Other positive attributes possessed by owls include their keen eyesight, stealth-like flight and well-honed hunting skills, which means hunters often considered seeing an owl a positive sign. In other cultures, however, the appearance of an owl is said to predict death and disasters.
Owls are actually rather fascinating creatures and the Sonoran Desert is home to several owl species, including the barn owl, great horned owl, elf owl and burrowing owl. Here are a few interesting owl facts to ponder:
- Owls are excellent night hunters. Barn owls can locate their prey by sound alone, in total darkness, with pinpoint accuracy.
- Owls can approach prey in silence because the sound of their wingbeats is muffled by the softened edges of their larger wing feathers.
- The largest Sonoran Desert species is the great horned owl, measuring a stately two feet in height. At the other end of the scale, the average elf owl is about the size of a sparrow and only grows to a height of about five inches.
- Like most birds of prey, owls ingest fur and bone when they eat their prey. However, these materials are not digestible and are formed into pellets in the owl’s stomach and then regurgitated.
But, I digress – back to our question about bad luck. I guess it comes down to this: if you’re a “glass-half-full” kind of person, consider seeing an owl in the daytime a good sign and look forward dazzling your friends with your newfound wisdom, insight and hunting skills. If you’re a “glass-half-empty” sort . . . well, I’d stay safely indoors for a while.
By the way, has anyone seen Courtney recently? Anyone? I’m sure she’s fine. Really . . . I’m sure she is.
