The Mystery of the Bird That Heralds Death

The owl calls seven times, death is for men, and nine times, death is for women.

It is also rumored that when a person is about to die, they will release a special smell and the owl with its sensitive hearing, has detected and signaled. Because of this belief, when the owl squeals in a long, mournful series in the quiet of the night, it always creates a creepy feeling.

Even the sound of owls at night would make the whole village talk about someone's death, and people would guess. Because of the belief that this bird brought bad omens, owls were hated, chased away, and even killed.

From the above analysis, the question "Are owls really scary?" has been denied by experts. Experts provide further evidence to prove this statement: " Not only are owls not scary, they are also beneficial birds for agriculture. According to documents, each year the Grey-backed Owl (Tyto alba) can kill 300 - 400 rats that destroy crops."

Although Dr. Vu The Khanh admitted that the owl's cry was related to the death of a person, he also said that the owl should not be "blamed" entirely on the owl. "Because in reality, even if the owl did not cry, there would still be deaths. The owl should only be considered a warning bell, just like when a rooster crows, it is morning, or when ants do not fly out of their nests, it still rains, or when dragonflies do not fly high, it is still sunny..." , Mr. Khanh said.

Thus, the owl's cry is not at all mysterious, spiritual or just brings bad luck. However, "believing or not believing in something depends on each person's concept. The belief that owls predict death should be considered similar to people believing that the call of a guest bird is a sign that a guest will come to visit, or that animals in the world predict the results of football matches at the World Cup..." , the expert commented.

Their favorite foods are mice and some insects. When mice are not available, they eat lizards and some other birds. Barn owls are nocturnal birds of prey, usually living in pairs or alone and not migratory.

These creatures may look slow, calm and mysterious, but they are actually killers, with the speed of a gust of wind and claws as sharp as knives. In the pitch black night, their keen eyes do not miss a small mouse running a hundred meters away.

Barn owls are one of two families of owls . Some species found in Vietnam are commonly referred to as owls because their calls sound like pigs. Barn owls are medium and large sized owls with large heads, strong legs and sharp claws. Their distinctive feature is their flat, heart-shaped faces made of feathers. These feathers also help to locate and amplify sounds when hunting.

The feathers on the owl's wings are also specially structured so they do not make any noise when flying, helping them hear better and avoid detection by prey. The owl has a gray to brown back, a lighter chest and belly, and may have spots.

The barn owl is generally smaller and has a facial disc that is not heart-shaped but divided into three parts, and the ears are covered with feathers. The barn owl has a fairly wide distribution, it can live in desert and forest environments, in temperate and tropical climates. It is found everywhere except North America, the Sahara Desert and parts of Asia.

In Vietnam, there are 3 species of barn owls, including the grey-backed barn owl (Tyto alba stertens), the oriental wild boar owl (Phodilus badius saturatus) and the brown-backed barn owl (Tyto longimembris). The grey-backed barn owl and the brown-backed barn owl are classified as natural enemies of rats (the main food is rats), and are strictly prohibited from being exploited in the wild.

The wild boar owl is listed in the Vietnam Red Book (endangered level T - threatened). This species has aesthetic and scientific value, and is a valuable gene source. Although the wild boar owl has a wide distribution area, the number of individuals is small and rare. It is currently not determined how many individuals exist in the wild.

Although owls are natural enemies and are very precious, because of superstitious beliefs, we are discriminating against this bird. In Vietnamese slang, “owls” refers to bad people who like owls spy on others and dig up dirt on them.

The word “owl” is also used for illegal traders and smugglers. This unfair association makes the conservation of this species even more difficult. In the world, people consider this a bird with unique beauty, loved. They have a very funny heart-shaped face. The smooth feathers have many beautiful patterns.

Some pictures of owls - the "death god" bird according to ancient Vietnamese beliefs: