owl

In ancient Greece, the owl was a symbol of Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Because of this historical background, owls are especially associated with wisdom in Western cultures. Even today, many educational institutions and libraries use owls in their logos.

Owls have various meanings depending on the culture. In the West, they symbolize wisdom, but in some Asian cultures, they're considered a bad omen. Recently, however, they've been reinterpreted as cute characters and are loved for their friendly image, like the owls in the Harry Potter series.