Bible (Leviticus 11:13-18): The law says that a variety of owls are included in "the birds you are to detest and not eat because they are detestable".

Aristotle [ca. 350 BCE] (De animalibus Book 9, 2.4): The crow and the owl also are enemies; for at mid-day the crow, taking advantage of the dim sight of the owl, secretly seizes and devours its eggs, and the owl eats those of the crow during the night; and one of these is master during the day, the other during the night. - [Cresswell translation, 1887]

Ovid [1st century CE] (The Metamorphosis, Book 2, 565; 5, 533): [Book 2, 565] But what use was that to me if Nyctimene, who was turned into an Owl for her dreadful sins, has usurped my [the crow] place of honor? Or have you not heard the story all Lesbos knows well, how Nyctimene desecrated her father’s bed? Though she is now a bird she is conscious of guilt at her crime and flees from human sight and the light, and hides her shame in darkness, and is driven from the whole sky by all the birds. [Book 5, 533] Then the queen of Erebus grieved, and changed the informant into a bird of ill omen: she sprinkled his head with water from the Phlegethon , and changed him to a beak, plumage, and a pair of huge eyes. Losing his own form he is covered by his tawny wings, and looks like a head, and long, curving claws. He scarcely stirs the feathers growing on his idle wings. He has become an odious bird, a messenger of future disaster, the screech owl, torpid by day, a fearful omen to mortal creatures.- [Kline translation]

Pliny the Elder [1st century CE] (Natural History, Book 10, 16; 10, 19; 10, 41): [Book 10, 16] Night birds also have hooked talons, for instance the little owl, the eagle-owl and the screech-owl. All of these are dim-sighted in the daytime. The eagle-owl is a funereal bird, and is regarded as an extremely bad omen, especially at public auspices; it inhabits deserts and places that are not merely unfrequented but terrifying and inaccessible; a weird creature of the night, its cry is not a musical note but a scream. Consequently when seen in cities or by daylight in any circumstances it is a direful portent; but I know several cases of its having perched on the houses of private persons without fatal consequences. It never flies in the direction where it wants to go, but travels slantwise out of its course. In the consulship of Sextus Palpellius Hister and Lucius Pedanius an eagle-owl entered the very shrine of the Capitol, on account of which a purification of the city was held on March 7th in that year. [Book 10, 19]: Night-owls wage a crafty battle against other birds. When surrounded by a crowd that outnumbers them they lie on their backs and defend themselves with their feet, and bunching themselves up close are entirely protected by their beak and claws. Through a kind of natural alliance the hawk comes to their aid and takes part in the war. Nigidius relates that night-owls hibernate for 60 days every winter, and that they have nine cries. [Book 10, 41]: But in the matter of the withdrawal of birds, is stated that even night-owls go into retreat for a few days. It is said that this kind does not exist in the island of Crete and even that if one is imported there it dies off. - [Rackham translation]

Aelianus [170-230 CE] (On the Characteristics of Animals, Book 1, 20): The Owl is a wily creature and resembles a witch. And when captured, it begins by capturing its hunters. And so they carry it about like a pet or (I declare) like a charm on their shoulders. By night it keeps watch for them and with its call that sounds like some incantation it diffuses a subtle, soothing enchantment, thereby attracting birds to settle near it. And even in the daytime it dangles before the birds another kind of lure to make fools of them, putting on a different expression at different times; and all the birds are spell-bound and remain stupefied and seized with terror, and a mighty terror too, at these transformations. - [Scholfield translation]

Saint Ambrose [4th century CE] (Hexameron, Book 5, chapter 24.86): The night owl is insensible of the horrors accompanying the gloom of night because of the large yellow pupils of his eyes. Contrary to the experience of other birds the darker the night, the freer the flight of the owl. However, when dawn with its bursts of light appears, his eyes are dazzled and he flees aimlessly as if in darkness. - [Savage translation, 1961]

Isidore of Seville [7th century CE] (Etymologies, Book 12, 7:38-42): [Book 12, 7:38] The screech owl [ulula] is a bird named from [a Greek word], that is, from wailing and lamentation, for its calls resemble either weeping or groaning. Whence, according to augurs, if it hoots it is said to indicate sorrow, and if it is silent, prosperity. [Book 12, 7:39] The horned owl [bubo] has a name composed of the sound of its call; it is a wild bird, loaded with feathers, but always constrained by heavy sluggishness; it is active among tombs day and night, and always lingers in caves. Thus, according to augurs, it is said to portend ill fortune, for when it has been seen in a city, they say that it signifies desolation. [Book 12, 7:40] The night owl [noctua] is named because it flies around at night [nox] and cannot see during the day, for when daylight appears, the night owl’s vision is weakened. This bird is not found on the island of Crete, and if it should come there from somewhere else, it immediately dies. The night owl is not the same as the horned owl, for the horned owl is bigger. [Book 12, 7:41] The nycticorax is likewise a night owl, because it loves the night. It is a bird that flees the light and cannot bear to look at sunlight. [Book 12, 7:42] The strix is a nocturnal bird, taking its name from the sound of its call, for it screeches [stridere] when it calls. This bird is commonly call the amma, from loving [amare] its young, whence also it is said to offer milk to its hatchlings. - [Barney, Lewis, et. al. translation]

Hugh of Fouilloy [ca. 1100-1172 CE] (De avibus, chapter 39): I am like a night raven [nycticorax] in the house (Ps. 101:7). The nycticorax is a bird which loves the darkness of the night. It lives in old walls, because it keeps house in the ruins of enclosures which are without a roof. It shuns light; it seeks food while flying by night. Spiritually interpreted the nycticorax signifies the Christ, who loves the darkness of the night, because He desires not the death of the sinner, but that he might be converted and live (Ezek. 33:1 1). For God the Father so loved the world that He delivered His Son to death for the redemption of the world (John 3:16). Moreover, the Apostle testifies that sinners are called darkness, saying. You were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord (Ephes. 5:8). The nycticorax lives in the ruins of walls, because Christ chose to be born of the Jewish people. I was not sent, He said, but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel (Matt. 15:24). But Christ is crushed by the ruins, because He is killed by the Jews. [The bird] shuns light, because [Christ] abominates and hates vainglory. For when He cured the leper, in order to provide us with an example of humility He said to the leper. See thou tell no man (Matt. 8:4). Concerning this light it is said. From the wicked their light shall be taken away (Job 38:15), that is, the glory of the earthly life. He Himself, moreover, is the inaccessible light which enlighteneth every man (John 1:9). The light of Christ, therefore, shuns light, that is, truth [shuns] the vanity of worldly glory. While flying by night [the nycticorax] seeks food, because [Christ] converts sinners into the body of the Church through preaching. On the other hand, the nycticorax signifies for us allegorically not any righteous man, but him who, [although] living among men, flees from the gaze of men as much as he can. He shuns light, because he pays no heed to the glory of human praise. It is said about this light. Shall not the light of the wicked be extinguished, and the flame of his fire not shine? (Job 18:5). It is said that the light is the success of the present life. But the light of the wicked man is extinguished, because the success of a transitory life is ended with that [life]. Nor will the flame of his fire shine. The fire is said to be the passion of earthly desires. Its flame is beauty or outward properties, which proceeds from his inner burning. But it will not shine, because on the last day all outer beauty and properties will perish. [The nycticorax] watches in the night, while [the righteous man], mindful of the darkness of sinners, avoids their errors. It lives in the ruins of walls, while he is mindful of the failure of the world, and awaits its downfall. It seeks food at night, because, reflecting on the life of sinners, he feeds his mind with the examples of the righteous. - [Clark translation, 1992]

Thomas of Cantimpré [circa 1200-1272 CE] (Liber de natura rerum, Birds 5.18, 5.92, 5.95, 5.117): [Thomas describes the owl under the names bubone, nycticorax, othus strix and ulula.] [Birds 5.18] As the Experimentator says, the owl eats the eggs of the dove. It hunts mice. Dwelling in the churches, it drinks oil from the lamps and yet wears it out with dung. When attacked by these birds (which live in the light) it lies on its back and defends itself with the claws of its feet. These birds signify in the church unusual and dissolute clerics, who, although they live on the rich beneficence of the church, yet use it with luxury and scandals, and when they are rebuked by the good, they attack them with cruelty of mind. A bird indeed is loaded with feathers of the sun, but laziness is always restrained by a heavy weight. The owl dwells in graves night and day, and always abiding in caves, flees from the light. [Birds 5.92] The nycticorax is called, as Andelmus says, the raven of the night. It loves the darkness of the night, and it does not suffer to see the Sun, for it hates the light. It does not feel the horror of the darkness because of the gray pupils of its eyes; but the darker the night, the more free is its the flight, unlike other birds. But when the day has risen, and surrounded by the brightness of the sun, its vision is dimmed, as if it were wandering in some darkness. At night it looks for its food, because if it flew by day, would be attacked by the other birds of the air. The owl, as the common people think, seems to herald the death of men with their intrusive voices. And it signifies those who trust in vain hope in the death of another. It delights in human dung. It pursues mice and all their kind. It lives gladly in houses or walls, and cherishes its young. It has a huge head, and is not shaped like other birds. Its beak is hooked like that of the hawk, and its claws are barbed and rough. The owl is skilled at fighting against birds. For when surrounded by a greater multitude, it resists with its feet, says Pliny. But when it is attacked by man or by birds, lying on its back it defends itself with the claws of its feet and with its beak. But the hawk comes to its aid in a kind of collegial nature, and divides the war. On the island of Crete if the owl flies at night it immediately dies. The flesh of the owl helps the paralytic. [Birds 5.95] As Pliny says, the othus bird is smaller than the owl [bubone], greater than the night owl [noctuis]. This bird is commonly called huans by the sound of its voice. It has protruding feathers that seem like ears. It has a hooked beak and feet. It pursues mice, lives on prey, feeds on meat. The rest of the birds have for this a hatred. In the night he cries out 'hu hu' horribly, like like a human voice, so that you might think that a man exhausted with cold is crying. This bird has special lands in which it utters the aforesaid voices: but there are many lands in which it does not cry out. [Birds 111] A strix is a night bird, as Isidore says. It has its name from its voice: for when it cries, it shrills. Hence Lucan: They say that the night owl is a warm owl. Strix is a bird of the night, and is commonly called amma from loving: for she loves her little ones. This bird alone, contrary to the custom of other birds, is said to instill a certain milky fluid into its chicks. [Birds 5.117] Ulula, as Isidore says, named from weeping and mourning. For when he cries he either imitates weeping or moaning. Hence the augurs falsely say, if he wails there will be sadness, but it is taken to indicate prosperity when it remains silent. - [Badke translation/paraphrase]

Guillaume le Clerc [ca. 1210 CE] (Bestiaire, Chapter 7): Now we shall tell of the night raven, / A bird of evil race, / Fresaie15 is its name in good romance. / This bird is foul and stinking. / Day and sunlight alike it hates, / Always is its nature so. / It loves night and darkness ever, / It’s quite plain that it is bad. - [Druce translation]

Bartholomaeus Anglicus [13th century CE] (Liber de proprietatibus rerum, Book12.5; 12.27; 12.36): [Book 12.5] The Owle is called Bubo, & hath that name of the sound of her voice, as Isidore sayth. And is a wilde birde charged with Feathers. But she is alwaye holde with slouth, and is féeble to flye. And dwelleth by graves by daye and by night, and in chinnes. And Divinours tell, that they betoken evill: for if the Owle be séene in a citie, it signifieth destruction and wast, as Isidore saith. Aristotle saith li. 8. that the Chough fighteth with the Owle, for she is féeble of sight at midday, and séeth more clearely by night than by daye. And for ye cause the Chough taketh the Owles egges, & eateth them by daye, & the Owle eateth the Choughes egges by night: for the Owle is stronger by night than by day, and the Chough is stronger by day than by night. And other fowles flye about the Owle by day and pul him, and therfore with the Owle, fowlars take other birds and fowles. The fighting of these birds (as the fighting of other beasts) is not but for meat, or for dwelling places. The crieng of the Owle by night, betokeneth death, as Divinors conjecture & déeme. The Owle is fed with dirt, and other uncleane things, and is hated of other birds, and haunteth Temples by night to have hir fill of oyle of lampes: and namely in fethers and in beake, she séemeth lyke to fowles of pray. But she is all unlike to them in boldnesse and in vertue. And when birds and fowles assayle the Owle, she lyeth upright, & defendeth hir selfe, with hir beake, & with hir feete and they hunt and ate mice, & reremice, and flye about by night, & hide them in thins and walls by daye. [Book 12.27] The night crowe is called Nicticorax, and hath that name, for he loveth the night, and flyeth and seeketh his meale by night, and crieth in seeking: and their crye is hatefull and odious to other birdes, as Isidore sayth. And is a Birde that flyeth the lyght, and maye not sée the Sunne, and haunteth & dwelleth in burials and in places of dead men: and they make their neasts in walls and in places with chinnes and hoales, and eate the Egges of Doves and Choughs, and fight with them. Also this Birde is called Noctua, as it were sharply séeing by night: for by night she maye sée, and when shining of the Sunne commeth, her sight is dim. The Iland Creta hath not this Birde, if hée commeth thether out of other lands, he dyeth anon as Isidore saith. [Book 12.36] Ulula is a fowle that hath that name of shrieching and crieng: And therfore among Divinours with cryeng he betokeneth adversitye, as Isidore saith. And héerby it séemeth that Ulula and the Owle be all one, and among Divinours her voyce is ungratious. Super Esai[ah] 14. the Glose sayth in this manner. Ulula is a Bird of the quantitye of a Crowe, sprong with speckes, and pitcheth his bill into a myrye place, and maketh a greate sound and noyse. And héereby it séemeth that Ulula is a mire dromble, that is a Birde of the marryes, and dwelleth in myrye places. Séeke before in the Chapter of the Miredromble. - [Batman]