What Is A Group Of Owls Called?

Group Of Owls:  Owls have fascinated human imagination for centuries with their mysterious night lifestyle, sharp eyes, and mournful calls that ring through the darkness. These mysterious birds are most commonly known as night predators or as birds who doesn’t sleep at night. However, their occasional glimpses at daylight escalate their fascination among mankind. One of the most intriguing things about these mysterious birds is that they are very occasionally seen in groups. But have you ever thought what we call a group of owls?

A group of owls is most typically referred to as a parliament. This common noun is poetic and broadly accepted across the globe, although owls are typically solitary animals, so for them to be gathered in numbers is mostly an exceptional view.

Why Are Owls Called A Parliament?

The true origin of referring to a group of owls as a parliament is not conclusively known. There are a few theories, one being cited in C.S. Lewis's 1950s novel The Chronicles of Narnia, when he wrote about a parliament of owls, bringing the term into use in modern times. The term itself has earlier literary origins, like in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century poem Parlement of Foules described a gathering of birds and associated owls with the concept of known as a group since medieval times.

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There is also a metaphorical logic behind the world parliament, referred to as a group of owls, which is that parliaments are often linked to wisdom and contemplation. Owls are also wise animals in many cultures, like the owl being the Greek goddess Athena, which would suit perfectly with this imagery. The term Parliament resonates with these qualities and provides more richness and beauty than usual words like flock or group

Other Names For A Group Of Owls

Parliament is the most accepted term for a group of owls. However, there are several alternative collective nouns for a group of owls, which are:

- Wisdom

- Congress

- Hooting

- Stare

- Bazaar

 - Diss

- Eyrie

- Looming

- Sagaciousness

- Stooping

- Nest

It is important to note that in flight, a group of owls can also be called a silence, due to their unique ability to fly almost silently, which protects them from hunting. 

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Do Owls Actually Form Groups?

Owls are mostly solitary birds and typically found in solitude or in pairs during the breeding season. Nonetheless, certain species like barn owls, burrowing owls, and short-eared owls may be found in small, loose flocks away from the breeding season. This group of owls mostly includes family members or members of the same species, and tends to be between the range of three to five owls.

What About Baby Owls?

A group of baby owls is referred to as a Brood Of Owlets. Owlets are called young or hatchling owls before they mature.

Term	Description
Parliament	The most common term for a group of adult owls
Silence	Refers to a group of owls in flight (rare)
Wisdom/Congress/Hooting	Alternative collective nouns for owls
Brood (of owlets)	Group of baby owls
Pair	Two owls together, often a breeding pair

The word Parliament not only evocatively describes a group of owls but is also linked with early literature and symbolic knowingness linked with these marvellous night birds. Even if the term groups of owls are uncommon, this phrase Parliament of Owls has become a treasured natural history term.