The owl was sacred to Athena in Greek mythology.
Athena’s owl became a symbol of wisdom, vigilance, and the goddess’s connection with the city of Athens. Ancient Greek art often depicts a small owl, commonly identified as the little owl, beside Athena or on Athenian coins.
The owl was especially important on the silver tetradrachms of Athens. These coins displayed Athena’s head on one side and an owl, an olive branch, and the inscription ΑΘΕ on the other. The design became so recognizable that the phrase “owls” could refer to Athenian currency.
Athena’s sacred bird is sometimes confused with Zeus’s eagle or Hera’s peacock. Those birds belong to different divine associations. Athena herself was connected with wisdom, strategic warfare, crafts, and the protection of Athens, while the owl became her most enduring visual emblem.