Why is the owl associated with wisdom?

In Greek mythology, owls were linked with Athena, goddess of wisdom and heroes and patroness of the arts.  Athena was often portrayed with an owl sitting on her shoulder; over time, the owl became a common symbol of Athena and synonymous with wisdom and knowledge. 

Similarly, the Roman goddess Minerva – counterpart of Athena and the patron of poetry, music, wisdom, medicine – was associated and even depicted as an owl.

The earliest international coins depict Athena in profile on the head and an owl on the tail, and were widely used as a means of trade well into the second century A.D. 

Considering the tremendous influence that ancient Greek and Roman civilizations have had on Western cultures, it is likely that many modern societies have simply inherited remnants of these early associations. 

Interesting facts:

• The collective noun for a group of owls is a parliament.
• Although owls have binocular vision, their eyeballs are fixed in their skulls, as is the case for most birds. To compensate, the owl can rotate its head 135 degrees in either direction.
• The smallest owl is the elf owl, which lives in the Southern US and Mexico and typically weighs close to an ounce.  The largest owl is the Eurasian Eagle Owl, which has a wingspan of over 6 feet and can weigh as much as ten pounds.
• Owls’ flight feathers have serrated edges, so they are virtually silent while in the air.