Harry Potter’s owl in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is named Hedwig.
Hedwig is a snowy owl whom Harry receives as an eleventh-birthday present from Hagrid. Harry chooses the name from a historical book about magic, giving the owl a distinctive identity from the moment she enters the story. Hedwig becomes Harry’s principal letter-carrier during his years at Hogwarts.
Although Hedwig is often treated as male in casual discussion, the character is female in the novels. The film adaptations used several trained snowy owls to portray her. Hedwig’s role is not only practical: her presence represents Harry’s connection to the wizarding world and to people outside the Dursleys’ home.
Readers sometimes confuse Hedwig with Errol, the Weasley family’s elderly owl, or with Pigwidgeon, Ron Weasley’s small owl. Crookshanks is Hermione’s cat, while Scabbers is Ron’s rat.