The Stygian Owl, known for its devilish red reflection in pictures, looks like it will eat your soul for dessert

Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager

Jan 4, 2026 10:00 AM EST

Our spirit animal for 2026? This guy right here.

We know this reveal may come as a shock to a lot of you, but give us a chance to explain why this spooky bird is the perfect spirit animal for the coming year. First, let's give you a little bit of backstory on this unique birb: the Stygian owl is named after the river Styx, the river that leads to the world of the undead in Greek mythology. It's a pretty appropriate name, considering that in a certain light, its eyes grow a devilish shade of red. That, combined with its ear tufts that look like horns, has given it the nickname the "Devil's owl". It mostly lives in South and Central America, in dense forests. Like many forest-dwelling animals, its population is at risk due to deforestation.

But why is this our animal, starting now? Well, owls are wise creatures. They learn through experience and observation. We're not going to jump at every opportunity without thinking. This year, we'll take our time and strike when the time is right. Owls are experts at seeing in the dark, so we're going to listen to our intuition when the path is not clear, and focus on listening to what isn't being said.

But this owl in particular has an iconic red glow to its eyes, changing it from a normal, derpy owl into a creature worthy of superstition. This year, if you cross us, you will be met with our devilish side. No more people-pleasing, no more being a doormat for people to walk all over. We'll use our inner power to show you who you should really be afraid of.

Below, you'll find some out-of-this-world pictures of Stygian Owls, so take a deep breath and soak up all of this wise and mystic energy below. Have a great 2026!

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via @superpiscesdreamsuniverse
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via @superpiscesdreamsuniverse
If we saw this thing staring at us in the night, we would 100% believe that a demon was out to get us. There's no way you wouldn't think that. Imagine seeing one of these owls before we had the internet or ornithologists. What other explanation would you have other than something spooky and supernatural? This is how myths and legends are born!
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via @superpiscesdreamsuniverse
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via @superpiscesdreamsuniverse
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via SLAM JAM
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via oddlyhorrifying and blowingfact
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via marionristov111
This is what they look like normally. You see what we mean about them looking kind of derpy in the daylight? To be fair, most owls are actually quite silly. Once you've seen one bathe itself, you'll never look at them the same again. Also, another fun, yet creepy fact, is that owls actually have very long legs, in comparison to their body. They can actually run. Now, once you've seen that, you'll never look at an owl the same way again for sure.
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via TheMoonBnuuy
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via TheMoonBnuuy
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via oddlyhorrifying
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via pawesomeplanet_
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via dawichotorres
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via TheMoonBnuuy
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via dawichotorres