Owl is a fictional character in the books Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928) by A. A. Milne. He presents himself as a mentor and teacher to the others. He was not based on a stuffed toy, so in the illustrations, he looks more like a live creature. Although he is perceived as wise, sometimes, he has trouble spelling and pronouncing some words and sentences correctly. Still, Winnie the Pooh and others rely on him for his advice and wisdom, especially whenever in trouble or during emergencies.
Origins Inspiration Owl, like Rabbit, was created by Milne's imagination. However, Milne also drew on his own knowledge of spelling and reading to develop Owl's character. Owl's character, like Rabbit's, came from real animals on Cotchford Farm, the Milnes' property in Sussex.
In the books Owl's first appearance was in the fourth chapter of the 1926 book Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne. Pooh was searching for Eeyore's missing tail, and visited Owl's place. He had first unwittingly spotted a bell-rope, which looked suspiciously like Eeyore's tail, under which were two notices (which were written by Christopher Robin):"PLES RING IF AN RNSER IS REQIRD", and "PLEZ CNOKE IF AN RNSR IS NOT REQIRD". Pooh knocked on the door and pulled the bell-rope, and called out to Owl, "Owl! I require an answer! It's Bear speaking!" Owl, upon answering the door and hearing of Eeyore's missing tail, suggested putting up posters and offering a reward before asking what Pooh thought about his bell-rope. Owl told Pooh that he just came across it in the forest, and thought someone was living in a bush. He rang it a couple of times until it came off in his talons, and, thinking no one wanted it, took it home with him to use it as his bell-rope. Before Owl could continue, Pooh interrupted him, telling him that the bell-rope was indeed Eeyore's tail. They realised that Owl has taken Eeyore's tail by accident, and Owl gave it back to Pooh, who returned it to Eeyore, and Christopher Robin nailed it back on. In the sixth chapter, Pooh turns to Owl for help after accidentally eating all of the honey out of the honey jar he meant to give Eeyore for his Birthday. He showed Owl the empty honey jar, and asked Owl to write "A Happy Birthday" on it, and Owl, like Piglet did earlier in the chapter, asked Pooh if both he and Pooh give it to Eeyore "From both of us?". Pooh refused, and Owl, after washing the empty honey jar, however, instead wrote, "HIPY PAPY BTHUTHDTH THUTHDA BTHUTHDY" on it, apparently showing his own incompetence at spelling. Pooh brought Eeyore the honey jar, and Eeyore ended up being happy with this present.
In the eighth chapter of The House at Pooh Corner, on a very windy day (Thursday), Piglet and Pooh visit Owl, who tells them a story about his Uncle Robert, whose portrait happened to be hanging on the wall, when all of a sudden, his tree house gets blown over by the wind, trapping the trio inside. Owl asked Pooh, very severely, "Did you do that?", to which Pooh replied, humbly, "I don't think so". In a moment of bravery, Piglet, with a string tied around him by Pooh, while being hoisted up by Owl, finds a way to escape through a tiny crevice, squeezing himself in through the letter box. Piglet goes off to find Christopher Robin, and while Piglet is away, Owl begins telling Pooh the story about his Uncle Robert, during which Pooh dozes off. It is implied that Christopher Robin helps get Pooh and Owl out. In the ninth chapter, due to his house falling over, Owl needs to find a new home and he solicits the help of the other animals in the forest. Rabbit has been leaving messages all over The Hundred Acre Wood, stating,"I AM SCERCHING FOR A NEW HOUSE FOR OWL SO HAD YOU RABBIT". Eeyore had not been informed about Owl's house falling until Rabbit explained it to him, but he goes out to search for a new one. Pooh meets with Piglet and reinforces how brave Piglet was with a poem titled "Here Lies a Tree" before they meet with everyone, minus Eeyore, at Owl's house where furniture is being salvaged, and Kanga got cross with Owl because Roo kept falling in and bringing back more things and Owl's house was a "Disgrace, all damp and dirty, and it was quite time it did tumble down", and that she found that Owl's "sponge" was actually a toadstool. Eeyore then came along and explained that he has found Owl a new house. The house he found is actually Piglet's, but Piglet willingly gives it up. After this, Pooh offers to have Piglet move in with him, which Piglet accepts.
In his final appearance in the tenth and final chapter, Owl, upon his and the others hearing that Christopher Robin was going away, reads a poem (which was written by Eeyore) called "POEM", and after he and the others had signed their names on it, they all went to give it to Christopher Robin, and they all nudged Eeyore to give Christopher Robin the poem, which he read, and as he did, each animal, including Owl, left little by little until just Pooh remained.
Personality In the books, Owl has a superior but kindly manner towards the others. He can be cross and easily annoyed, especially when his friends ignore or interrupt his long-winded speeches. He sometimes wears reading glasses, and uses his talons for hands, as opposed to his wings in the Disney version. He lives in a tree known as The Chestnuts, described as an "old world residence of great charm". Owl likes to present himself as very knowledgeable, and is perceived by the other animals as such, but like most of the other characters, he does not spell very well. He even spells his own name "Wol" (which is the incorrect way to spell "Owl"), apparently reinforcing his own incompetence at spelling. When Rabbit (who is quite literate) comes to Owl to discuss a notice that Christopher Robin has left, Owl is unable to read the notice. But rather than admit this, Owl anxiously bluffs his way through the conversation until he finally tricks Rabbit into reading the notice out loud, at which point Owl resumes his wise demeanor as if he had known all along what it had said. From the 2011 film and onward, Owl is portrayed as a more pretentious and egotistical character than before. He's sometimes heard boasting about how talented and important he seems, and views himself above the rest of the Hundred Acre Woods gang.
Disney adaptations
In the Disney adaptations, Owl is much more jovial and friendly. He enjoys telling stories about his relatives whenever a particular situation reminds him of one, but many of his stories are pointless or absurd. Owl has light tan plumage on his underside and brown plumage on his head, tail, and back. His three-taloned feet are also brown. He has a short tuft of white feathers just under his beak, somewhat resembling a beard. The area around his eyes is a slightly lighter shade of brown. His eyes are black with pale yellow sclera, and his eyebrows are dark brown. Owl's beak is yellow. In Welcome to Pooh Corner, Owl always wears glasses (and often a cap and goggles when flying) and loves to cook.
Films Owl first appears in the 1966 American animated musical fantasy short film Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree. He is seen with Christopher Robin, who is attempting to fix Eeyore's tail, and gives his opinion that the tail needs to be moved to the right. Later, when he notices Pooh stuck in Rabbit's front door, he decides that the situation needs the services of an expert, which turns out to be Gopher. But when Gopher suggests he use dynamite, Owl refuses. When Pooh is finally able to be removed, Owl is one of the characters to help pull him out.
In the 1968 American animated musical fantasy sequel Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, it is revealed that Owl lives in a small house located in a treetop. Pooh and Piglet come to visit him and wish him a Happy Winds Day, but during their visit, Owl's tree is knocked down by the strong winds and his home is damaged, prompting Eeyore to find him a new one. In the meantime, Owl begins telling a long story about a relative, with the narrator noting that he spoke: "from page 41 to page 62." In the midst of the later flood, Owl makes his way to Christopher Robin's home, the only area not underwater. When Christopher Robin finds Piglet's message for help, he sends Owl, who can fly, to tell Piglet that help is on the way. Owl finds Piglet floating on a small chair. To calm Piglet, he begins speaking of another relative, completely oblivious to the fact that the two are about to go over a waterfall. At the end of the short film, Eeyore finds a new house for Owl, which turns out to be Piglet's. However, Piglet selflessly gives Owl his home and goes to live with Pooh.
In Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore, after Pooh learns that Eeyore's birthday has arrived, he gets Eeyore a honey pot as a present, and visits Owl's house for help in writing out "Happy Birthday" on the pot. Despite only needing those two words, Owl misspells them numerous times and covers up the fact by claiming he wrote out an entire message instead. Owl then travels to tell Christopher Robin of Eeyore's birthday and is present for the latter's birthday party. Owl finally appears with the rest of the characters, playing Pooh Sticks at the bridge, and then decides to go home.
In Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin, Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit, and Eeyore go to Owl's house to read them a note from a honeypot that Christopher Robin left Pooh before he mysteriously left and Pooh accidentally got honey all over the note. After removing the honey from the note, Owl misreads the note, saying that Christopher Robin has gone to a place called "Skull" (really school), which is a faraway and forbidden place. When Pooh and the gang decides to go on a quest to rescue Christopher Robin, Owl draws them a map and says that they'll face dangers along the way including Heffalumps, Woozles, Jagulars, and the scariest one of all - the Skullasauraus. Owl then sings the song "Adventure is a Wonderful Thing" and sends Pooh and the gang on their quest and he salutes them. It is later revealed that Owl told Pooh and the gang where to find Christopher Robin. At Skull, they must find him in the eye of the Skull. Towards the end, Owl is seen one last time flying over Christopher Robin saying, "Thank goodness, you got him!"
In The Tigger Movie, when Tigger looks for his family of Tiggers, he and Roo go to Owl for help finding them, to which Owl suggests that Tigger should find his family tree. Tigger follows Owl's advice. Later on, when Roo decides to write Tigger a letter from his family, he gathers Kanga, Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore at Owl's house and has Owl write the letter. After each individual gives their own message, Owl finishes the letter with, "Wishing you all the best. Signed, Your family." The next day, when Tigger shows the letter to his friends, he tells them that his family of Tiggers is coming to visit him tomorrow. Roo then decides that he, Owl, and the others should dress up as other Tiggers and act as Tigger's family, to which they do. When they arrive at Tigger's house dressed up as his family, everything goes according to plan until Roo accidentally bounces into Tigger's closet, causing his mask to fall off. Tigger pulls off all of the others' masks, including Owl's, which makes him mad, and he leaves to find his real family. After Tigger is found, Owl, Kanga, and Christopher Robin show up and they manage to explain to Tigger that they are his family by reciting what the letter said. In the end, Tigger gives his family a party and gives Owl a yo-yo for a present. Owl then, along with the others, gets a family picture taken with Tigger so Roo can put it in the heart-shaped locket that Tigger gave him as a present.