Owl Dream Meaning And Interpretation

Owls are one of the more common animal dream symbols, and these beautiful birds of prey have captured our imaginations for countless years. 

We often associate owls with wisdom and knowledge, thanks to folklore, fables, children’s tales, and popular media.

But what does it mean when an owl appears in your dream? Is it a symbol of gaining knowledge, or is there something deeper going on?

Let’s take a look.

Why Am I Dreaming Of An Owl?

Owls may appear in your dreams when you need to confront your deepest fears, attain a deeper sense of wisdom or knowledge, and hone your skills. 

It may also be a call to recognize your innermost sense of power and higher knowledge and utilize these in waking life.

If you think of the physical traits of an owl, this can also shed some light on why it appears in your dreams. 

For instance, an owl is capable of swiveling its head in a circle without moving its body, suggesting that you need to gain a better perspective on life. It could be that there is something important that you’re missing.

But it also depends on what the owl is doing in your dream. An owl hunting in your dream suggests there’s a spiritual lesson you need to learn to move forward in waking life.

Seeing an owl swoop in and catch a mouse is thought to be good luck, and an owl watching you in a dream is an encouragement to look deeper at your life or a recent choice you’ve made. 

An owl diving towards you (but not to attack) is a very positive omen, reflecting how you are harnessing your inner power, wisdom, and authority to your advantage in waking life and may suggest you are guided well by your intuition. 

You don’t mistake hope for your instincts, or how you think a situation might turn out.

However, if you are particularly nervous when you see the owl in your dream, or it attacks you, the owl in your dream comes as a warning. You may be about to run into some trouble or misfortune, or you will have a lot of worries soon.

The Owl Dream Symbol

Some people believe that the dream symbol of an owl is bad luck, but this largely depends on the context of the dream. Even when it does signal misfortune, it is still a good sign, as the owl acts as a warning.

Without it, this bad luck will take you completely by surprise, making it more difficult to cope. An owl that signifies misfortune in your dream can help you feel a little more prepared or capable when bad luck comes calling in your waking hours.

To some people, an owl appearing in your dreams signifies death, where they act as messengers of those who have passed on, and also come as a warning of loss and grief. 

In more modern dream interpretation, this negative association is still carried, but it’s less severe. Just like in the Tarot, a signifier of death usually denotes the end of something, so that great change can begin in your life. 

Death in this aspect is not literal, but more metaphorical. It may also denote a period of transformation, where you will gain a higher sense of truth, wisdom, and a greater perspective that will serve you well in your waking hours.

Seeing more than one owl in your dream can mean that you need to channel your focus into one specific area of your life, instead of jumping from task to task and never really finishing anything. 

As owls are mainly nocturnal, seeing these striking birds in your dream may suggest that you need to work on the spiritual aspects of your life, explore any mysteries in your life, and develop your creative projects.

The owl dream symbol also serves to connect to the unconscious part of your mind, where your innermost thoughts, wisdom, and fears lie. It may help you to recognize underlying issues, emotions, or solutions you are unconsciously aware of, and apply them to your waking life.

If you see an owl screeching at you, it may suggest that you need to confront underlying issues that you’ve yet to resolve, or someone’s words may hurt you shortly.

Consider The Type Of Owl You’re Dreaming Of

One thing that’s worth considering when you’re trying to find the reason why an owl appears in your dream is the species that you saw. Each species has a different significance in dreams, so it’s worth exploring.

Even if you don’t dream of a ‘specific’ species, the owl you are dreaming of will share certain characteristics with an owl species in waking life, adding further details to your dream that you can then decode.

A Snowy Owl

A snowy owl is a good spiritual omen. It suggests future joy, tranquility, a better sense of purpose, and even cause for celebration in the future, but there is a little more to it than that.

It can signal that you have a lot to talk about in the coming weeks with someone you know. It could be that you’re trying to find a way forward in life or work a problem out between you. 

Maybe this person will help you achieve a goal, and you’ll work out the best way to do this. 

A snowy owl may also signify that your potential is much larger than you previously thought. A dream like this can be a call to realize exactly what you might be capable of if you dare to try. You may be able to reach past your wildest dreams with a little effort and vision.

However, a snowy owl in your dreams isn’t always a positive sign. It may indicate that you should be careful with your words and how you act, otherwise you risk making a lot of enemies or mistakes that will be very difficult to undo.

The snowy owl in your dream may also act as a sign of reassurance, where it calls on you to remember your kind nature, and how you are unique, and you should use your qualities to your advantage in waking life.

If you’re feeling incredibly stressed, and you have a dream of a snowy owl, this dream implies that things should level out soon, especially if you try your hardest to regain a balance. It denotes a period of tranquility and peace that you’ll be able to enjoy quicker than you think. 

A Common Owl

Dreaming of a common owl refers to how well you focus on a single task, problem, or project in waking life when distractions come calling. 

It can also mean that you need to be more open and honest with yourself, or with someone in your waking life.

A Great Horned Owl

A great horned owl appearing in your dreams suggests you need to be more open in waking life, whether that’s being honest, or being more giving to others. Be willing to drop what you’re currently working on to help someone or fix a problem in your waking life. 

A True Owl

A true owl appearing in your dream suggests that you are tired. Whether that’s physically or mentally, it’s time to take a break to recharge, before you become exhausted. 

An Eagle Owl

Seeing an eagle owl in your dream refers to your spirituality, and how you might need to let go of potential worries and focus on what you can change, as well as how you should be more assertive in waking life.

A Barn Owl

A barn owl in your dreams denotes prosperity, but it may also be a spiritual messenger, urging you to use your inner wisdom in a difficult situation in waking life. 

It can also suggest there is a new relationship on the horizon for you, which will give you a lot of peace in the future. It will be a well-balanced connection, where you will both give each other as much as you receive, and may mean new doors will open for you.

However, if you feel afraid when you see the barn owl in your dream, you may be about to discover something uncomfortable that isn’t for your eyes. This secret will cause you a lot of pain or confusion.

It may also denote that you’re not spending enough time with the people you love, and how you might be alienating yourself. Perhaps you aren’t trusting them in a situation that you feel you need to solve alone.

A Black Owl In Your Dream

Seeing a black owl in your dreams that doesn’t seem to be a particular species is an interesting one. 

Black owls appear in your dreams as an element of mystery, magic, or the unknown in waking life. You may be about to come across a situation that has many variables you’ll struggle with, a very enigmatic person, or you might begin to see waking life completely differently.

It denotes a brand-new awakening in life, and possibly a turning point in your life’s path. As is the nature of black color symbolism, because of the element of mystery, it will be unexpected, but it will be positive.

It also comes as a great sign of reassurance. Perhaps you’re already facing a different direction in your waking life, in which case the black owl signifies that this upheaval in your life will be a good thing.

It might not seem this way at first, especially if you feel as though the ground has moved out from underneath you, but don’t forget that you can’t see the path ahead of you. Any doubt you’re feeling now will pass with time. 

Some people believe that a black owl in your dreams is a sign of misfortune, where you or someone you love is about to fall ill.

Another interesting owl symbol to look out for is the black barn owl. It rarely appears in your dreams, and this is also true of life. 

This is one of the most positive owl dream symbols you can encounter, and they suggest you’re about to obtain your wildest dreams, or reach your highest potential so far in life.

Watching An Owl Fly In Your Dream

An owl flying in your dream suggests you’re about to get past all of your problems, and you will soon get some recognition for your victories, too. 

This dream can be a call to knuckle down and make sure you aren’t making excuses when it comes to trying to achieve your goals. Make sure you aren’t standing in your own way of making progress.

A dream like this may also suggest future celebration, and enjoying the success that you have now, not just the ones to come.

An Owl Circling Prey In Your Dream

Watching an owl circle its prey in your dream refers to your readiness in life. You are ready to jump into action at the first sign of trouble, especially if you can manage to solve problems before they turn into disasters.

You’re adept at problem solving, and you have enough experience in your work life to know when something is a minor hiccup, and when something could be an absolute disaster, and how to prioritize effectively.

An Owl Hunting Small Prey In Your Dream

A dream where you watch an owl hunting small prey isn’t a good sign, unfortunately. An aspect of you is the prey in this dream, indicating that you’re having trouble with some flaw in your personality or lifestyle, and you’re not sure what you can do about it right now.

Watching An Owl Hunt A Mouse In Your Dream

Dreaming of an owl hunting a mouse refers to how you feel vulnerable somewhere in waking life. 

It may be that someone has demonstrated that you can’t trust them, after you’ve entrusted some of your closest secrets to them. You may be wondering what they will do next with their new-found power over you.

An owl hunting a mouse in your dream may also imply damaging gossip or hear-say entering or surrounding your life soon.

Seeing An Owl Without Feathers In Your Dream

A dream where you see an owl without feathers denotes that stress is stopping you from using your wisdom, and this could hold you back or cause you more problems. 

A dream like this may also imply that you’re about to hit some misfortune in waking life, and you’ll need to treat a situation with great care. Otherwise, it won’t just affect you negatively.

An Owl Landing On Your Bed In A Dream

Dreaming of an owl landing on your bed refers to your inner wisdom that has served you well in waking life. It may also imply that you do your best thinking or problem solving when you are alone, such as being in bed, and it can be a call to take some time out to do so.

A dream where many owls land on your bed is a very good sign, and suggests that a situation will soon come along which will help you gain more knowledge and experience, and if you manage to take advantage of it, it will serve you well.

If you dream of an owl landing to sleep on your bed, this denotes romance in your future, and it also warns you to keep your head during this time. You need to be careful.

An Owl Staring At You In A Dream

A dream where an owl stares at you can be pretty nerve-wracking, but it also has something important to say. It implies that someone close to you isn’t treating you in the way you deserve. 

You may already know who this person is, and perhaps this has been going on for some time, and you’re not exactly sure how you should try to improve things. 

Holding An Owl In Your Hands In A Dream

Dreaming of holding an owl in your hands is unfortunately a negative omen. It suggests that misfortune is following you right now, so don’t attempt anything major in the next few days.

Some believe that holding an owl in your hands in a dream implies that something in your household is about to break, or your ability to get things done well is about to be hampered in some way.

An Owl Attacking You In A Dream

This dream is all about hidden frustration, aggression, and anger. Perhaps you’re under a lot of stress, or an ongoing situation that you’re making little progress in is frustrating you to no end, and it just keeps dragging on, no matter what.

It may also occur when someone in your life is furious with you, and this anger is bleeding into your dreams. It denotes your worry that things will always be difficult with this person or situation, and how they may never forgive you. 

Owls attacking humans is very rare, and only usually happens when they are defending a nest. A dream like this may also suggest that someone in waking life is moving against you in some way. Perhaps they envy what you have, or what you are on track to achieve. 

Or, an owl attacking you in a dream can refer to a situation or truth you’re desperately trying to ignore. You’re in denial, and this dream demonstrates exactly how well denial is working out for you right now. 

This dream urges you to confront whatever it is you don’t want to face, so that you may move forward. Perhaps you’re at odds with your inner knowledge or truth, and you’re choosing to ignore it as best you can. 

A dream of an owl attacking you may also denote that someone with more influence and authority than you is trying to move against you in waking life, or they are attempting to shut you out from a certain project or goal.

Usually, this is in a work context, especially if you’re finding yourself in competition with a colleague. It may be less personal than this. 

Perhaps you’re in a rush to close on a deal before someone else gets the chance, or the company you work for is going under some reconstruction.

A dream like this calls on you to make sure you protect yourself, and if the situation needs it, assert yourself in waking life to make sure no one can sabotage your plans. 

An owl attack in your dreams can suggest an unexpected situation in waking life and may force you to change the direction of your plans or your life as a whole, but it will also mean that you’ll gain a greater sense of knowledge or awareness in waking life.

Watching Owls Kill Each Other In Your Dream

As you’ve seen from above, an owl dying in a dream is not positive. So when you watch two owls kill each other in your dream, it’s not exactly suggesting you’re about to come into some money or a run of good luck.

Unfortunately, a dream where you watch owls kill each other denotes great spiritual or intellectual conflict in waking life. You’re battling with opposing directions, choices, or points of view, and everything feels unclear.

It may also denote that you’re going through a spiritual transformation, where you are in the process of shedding your old habits and fears, but you haven’t fully managed to let them go. 

This dream is warning you that you may regress in some way if you’re not careful, and if you do, you may not be able to make progress. It could be that an opportunity you have now will not be there in the future. 

On a more positive note, this dream can suggest that your intuition and wisdom will lead to a greater path soon. Some things will have to end for this chance to reveal itself, but you will get there. 

Dreaming Of Hitting An Owl With Your Car

A dream where you hit an owl with your car suggests that a choice you’ve made, or an effort to be more in control is going to bite you. 

Crashing into an owl in your car in a dream also suggests that you’re about to become saddled with more responsibilities than you know what to do with, or how to cope with. 

Despite the initial stress, you will find a way to manage, and it may even mean new opportunities for you, or a better sense of purpose.

Killing An Owl In Your Dream

A dream where you kill an owl is not a good sign. You’re in conflict with someone or several people, and this is affecting how you are able to draw upon your wisdom. 

It could be that someone has some power over you, perhaps an authority figure, and they are exerting it more than is necessary or fair to do so. 

This doesn’t mesh well with your strong sense of self, and you are wondering how you might be able to subvert their control over you.

If you dream of someone else killing an owl in your dream, this suggests that you need to be more guarded in waking life. This could be in any aspect of your life. 

It could be in terms of your relationships, where you are giving parts of yourself or your truth too freely, or you’re trusting the wrong people. 

Maybe you’re kicking a health issue down the road, and it will only get worse the longer that you put it off. Perhaps your work life is getting in the way of your personal life because you haven’t set enough boundaries, or you feel cut off from your spiritual side.

If you only try to kill the owl, and you don’t succeed, or your dream comes to an end before you see if you manage to kill it, this implies that your efforts to succeed are being hampered.

Whatever technique or method you are using may not be the best way of handling things, and it could even make things much more difficult than they need to be. Your dream may be suggesting that you need to change course now while you can. 

Dreaming Of An Injured Owl

Seeing an injured owl in your dream can reflect waking life, where you are filled with worry, and you’re not sure who or what to turn to. 

Consider the nature of the injury in the dream. If you dream of an owl that can’t fly, this suggests that you cannot access your inner wisdom in waking life. Perhaps things are too tough for you to see things.

If you dream an injured owl is still able to fly, this denotes your anxiety which is starting to cloud your judgment in waking life.

Dreaming of coming across an injured owl that’s shaking from shock or fear implies that you should expect news soon. This may be good or bad.

A dream where an owl is hit by a car suggests something in your waking life is about to come to a close.

Watching an owl collide with power lines means that you need to be careful in waking life, and make sure you are thinking things through logically to the best of your ability.

Seeing A Dead Owl In Your Dream

Poor thing. As you might imagine, a dead owl in your dream isn’t exactly a positive sign. 

As these beautiful animals are not usually aggressive towards humans, they don’t symbolize overcoming problems as a dead crocodile would in your dream, for example. 

A dead owl in your dream stands for misfortune, stress, frustration, and being unable to listen to the logical aspect of yourself. Your opinion or perspective is about to become distorted, and this won’t help matters.

If you dream of killing an owl, this suggests that a mistake you’ve just made or one you’re about to make will be the source of this conflict. Or, it can denote minor illnesses that you’re about to suffer from, or one of your close friends or family members will fall ill shortly.

Consider what the owl died from, if that is a part of your dream, as it can add to the meaning. For example, a dream where an owl flies into a train or a car implies that you feel you’re not on the right path in life, and this is affecting your judgment more than you might think.

It also represents discord in your spiritual journey through life. You may have stumbled upon something you cannot get past on your own, or you may be able to change direction in life entirely.

Perhaps you’ll give up on a goal you’ve not made any progress with, and this will allow room for a new purpose in life and future transformation.

Talking With An Owl In Your Dream

An owl that speaks to you in a dream is an interesting dream scenario, to be sure. Owls are usually silent, especially when they are hunting, so this is an interesting thing to think about.

An owl that talks to you in your dream implies that you should pick your moment carefully, whatever that might mean to you. 

There might be an opportunity that you should take full advantage of, and you may find the future arriving sooner than you might imagine.

Or, an owl talking in your dream may suggest you’re about to let slip someone’s secret that you’ve been keeping. But this might also be deliberate. Make sure you know what you are doing.

If you answer the owl, this is a positive sign. It denotes success, victory, happiness, being assertive, and getting what you want, but also uncovering a new direction in life.

Perhaps you’ll change jobs, or switch up your lifestyle completely. Things are about to change dramatically, but this will be a good thing.

Consider also the nature of your conversation with the owl in your dream, as this can further insight into your dream. If the owl is giving you some advice, this is your highest form of knowledge coming to advise you, and you would be wise to listen. 

An owl arguing with you mirrors internal conflict. Perhaps you’re torn between two different paths or a decision that doesn’t just affect your life. Your dream calls on you to reconcile as soon as you can. 

A Silent Owl In Your Dream

Dreaming of a silent owl symbolizes secrets, which could be your own, or someone else’s. If you don’t hear any noise from the owl at all, a secret will mean a new beginning in life.

Being An Owl In Your Dream

A dream where you are an owl in your dream refers to your heightened knowledge or awareness in waking life, and how you use this to your best advantage.

Dreaming Of An Owl Turning Into A Human

This is a rare and fascinating dream! Seeing an owl turn into a human in your dream implies that you’re about to make some very wise connections or decisions in waking life.

It may also suggest that kindnesses you’ve shown others in the past are going to be repaid in an unexpected way shortly. 

Older Dream Interpretation Of Owls

It is also worth looking at some older dream interpretations of owls, as these can be vastly different from the more common ones we tend to use today. 

Typically, an owl is a good sign in terms of your professional life, suggesting that you’re about to become more productive, or close on an impressive deal. However, it also suggests that you need to keep your wits about you, as someone may move against you soon.

Depending on your situation in the dream, the owl may also imply part of your shadow self needs acknowledgement, otherwise you will have no inner peace in your waking life. 

It may also mean that you need to achieve an inner tranquility to return to when things get tough in waking life. Perhaps you will need it soon.

If you dream of shooing an owl away from your property, this implies that you are going to experience some changes in your home life soon, and this will be for the best.

It’s worth noting that if an owl attacks you in a dream, it may suggest that you’re about to come into conflict with someone wise in your life. This dream warns you to be very careful, and not to provoke this person.

It may also suggest difficult times in your business life, but if you handle them carefully, there will be no lasting repercussions. 

If you see only the reflection of the eyes of an owl, this may suggest hidden knowledge or truth that it’s vital you discover them soon. It could be that you won’t get through a problem well enough without them.

If you dream of a dead owl, this may suggest that you’re about to swerve the potential for a terrible sickness or accident, as long as you are careful, and keep your eyes open.

A dream where you hear an owl, but you don’t locate it is considered a bad sign. It may suggest failure, regret, money worries, and misfortune. You won’t see a bad situation unfolding until it is too late to do something about it.

An owl that screams in your dream is, unfortunately, even worse. It implies that you’re about to lose something very important to you, and this loss will leave you reeling for a while. 

It also denotes that you will need to reach out to others to help you reconcile yourself with this bad luck or awful situation. You might be tempted not to ask, but this will only make things worse than they need to be.

Owl Dream Summary

• Seeing one owl: success through hard work
• Many owls: good fortune, wisdom, joy
• An owl flying: greater freedom in waking life
• Someone points out an owl: look deeper at a situation or someone
• Someone kills an owl: discovering a secret
• An owl screaming: misfortune
• A silent owl: tranquility and acceptance
• An owl hunting: you need time to recharge
• Catching an owl: gaining greater wisdom
• Scaring an owl: overcoming difficulties
• An owl flying away: losing something important
• Seeing an owl in a tree: be careful who you trust
• Killing an owl: avoid risks
• Hunting an owl: be prepared for misfortune
• An owl in your home: be more considerate
• Hearing an owl: a fresh start

Final Thoughts

Decoding an owl dream can be complicated, so make sure you record all the details of your dream into a dream journal or keep them on your phone for future reference. 

It helps to do this as soon as you wake, so that you don’t lose any important pointers that would help you find the meaning behind your dream.

It may be that some things will only become clearer with time, so getting into the habit of keeping a dream journal can really help you find out what your subconscious is trying to tell you.

Owls are usually fairly positive dream symbols, but they can come as warnings to make sure you use your knowledge and wisdom in the coming days, averting any potential disasters heading your way.

It may also be a call to better connect to your spiritual side in order to move forward in life, or to gain a better perspective about where you stand, and how you might achieve your wildest dreams.