What Is a Group of Owls Called? (And Why You Rarely See One)

Owl Facts & Wildlife Education
June 2, 2026

Quick Overview:

A group of owls is called a parliament
Owls are mostly solitary and don’t gather in groups often
A clutch refers to a group of owl eggs
A brood refers to a group of baby owls (owlets)

What Is a Group of Owls Called?

A group of owls is called a parliament.

You might also hear them referred to as a:

Wisdom of owls (less common)
Congress or stare of owls (rare)

But here’s the thing—if you spend any real time watching owls (like we do at Ramona Barn Owls on our 24/7 owl livestream), you’ll notice something pretty quickly:

Owls don’t really hang out in groups too much.

You’re much more likely to see:

One owl on a fence post
One tucked into a tree
Maybe a pair flying together

Unless, of course, we’re talking about a clutch of owl eggs or a brood of recently hatched baby owls.

So… are those other words for a group of owls?

Let’s take a closer look.

Why Is a Group of Owls Called a Parliament?

If we are chasing word origins way back, long ago, many collective nouns were created based on how people observed or interpreted animals—sometimes accurately, and sometimes… not so much.

For example:

A gaggle of geese comes from the sounds they make
A fall of woodcock refers to their erratic flight patterns
A murder of crows comes from old superstitions linking them to death

So where do owls fit into all of this? It goes way back to mythology

Owls have long been associated with wisdom and intelligence. And that idea dates back to ancient Greek mythology, where the owl was closely associated with Athena, the goddess of wisdom and reason.

Because of that, owls became a symbol of:

Intelligence
Watchfulness
Thoughtfulness

And when people saw owls sitting quietly, observing everything around them, it didn’t feel like a random group of birds. It felt like a meeting. That’s where “parliament” comes in.

The word parliament means an assembly or council—a group gathered to discuss and make decisions.

So when early writers and storytellers—like C.S. Lewis who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia—described owls, they leaned into that image:

Quiet
Still
Watching everything

Almost like they were deep in conversation.And the name “parliament of owls” stuck.

Do Owls Actually Gather in Groups?

Owls don’t usually gather in groups. In fact, owls are mostly solitary animals.

They are:

Territorial
Independent hunters
Not particularly social

At Ramona Barn Owls, outside of those early baby stages, what we actually see is pretty consistent. One owl here, one owl there, maybe a pair during mating season.

But not a group just hanging out together.

If you compare them to birds like crows or vultures—who regularly gather in large numbers—owls are basically the introverts of the bird world.

They don’t need a group to hunt, survive, or thrive.

Do Owls Ever Gather in Groups?

Most owls are solitary, but some species—like the long-eared owl—behave differently depending on the season.

The long-eared owl is known for forming communal winter roosts
In colder months, it’s not unusual to see multiple long-eared owls in the same tree or area
These groups aren’t social in the way flocks are—they’re simply sharing a safe roosting spot

This behavior is one of the reasons the long-eared owl is considered a “special find” among birders and photographers. Seeing multiple owls in one place is rare for most species, which makes these roosts especially exciting.

When Would You See a Group of Owls?

Outside of rare cases like the long-eared owl, you’ll usually only see owls together when they’re part of the same family.

That usually means they’re still in that early stage of life—

eggs in the nest
freshly hatched babies
or young siblings (fledglings) still hanging around together

But at those stages, they are usually called something a little different.

What Is a Clutch of Owls?

A clutch of owls is a group of eggs laid by a female owl during one nesting cycle. In other words, it’s a family unit right from the start.

So if a barn owl lays:

4 eggs
5 eggs
7 eggs

That entire set is called a clutch.

This is one of the few times the word “group” actually makes sense with owls, because every egg belongs to the same parents and the same nesting period.

And here’s where it gets really interesting.

Owls don’t lay all of their eggs at once. They lay them a few days apart, which means they also hatch at different times. This is called asynchronous hatching, and it’s why you’ll often see a noticeable size difference between siblings in the same nest. One chick might already be bigger and stronger, while another is just barely hatched and still tiny.

It can look a little surprising if you’ve never seen it before, but it’s completely normal—and it sets the stage for what happens next.

What Is a Group of Baby Owls Called?

Once those eggs hatch, the clutch becomes a brood.

A brood is simply a group of baby owls from the same nest. So while “clutch” refers to the eggs, “brood” refers to the owlets after they’ve hatched.

People sometimes still say “clutch” when talking about the babies—but technically, once they hatch, they’re a brood.

And because of that staggered hatching, a brood often isn’t uniform. You’ll see a mix of sizes and stages, all sharing the same space, all growing at slightly different speeds.

Do Baby Owls Stay Together?

Yes, baby owls stay together—but only for a while.

This is when you’ll actually see what looks like a “group of owls”:

3, 4, or 5 owlets
Sitting side by side
Hanging out on a roof or branch

This is one of the most fun stages to watch. It’s when their personalities start to come out, and they’re still close enough that you see them interacting with each other.

You’ll often see a handful of them together—but they’re not forming a group in the social sense. They’re simply siblings who haven’t gone their separate ways yet.

When Do Owls Stop Hanging Out With Their Brood?

Owls stop staying together when they fledge, which usually happens around 2 to 3 months old.

Fledging is when they leave the nest and begin living independently. And here’s the part that surprises most people:

They don’t leave as a group.

Instead, they leave one at a time. One owl will take off, then another, then another, until eventually the entire brood has dispersed.

Each owl goes off to:

Find its own space
Hunt on its own
Live independently

And just like that, the “group” disappears.

Some Collective Nouns for Other Birds

Owls aren’t the only ones with a slightly dramatic name for their group.

Birds in particular have some of the most creative ones out there. Some of these names are based on behavior, some on appearance, and some… just feel like someone got a little carried away.

Many of these names come from a mix of observation, folklore, and imagination—so they often reflect how we see these birds, not necessarily how they actually live.

Here are some examples, along with a quick look at where those names likely came from:

A murder of crows: likely tied to old folklore linking crows with death and superstition
A mischief of magpies: inspired by their curious, playful, and sometimes troublemaking behavior
A squabble of seagulls: anyone who’s been near the beach knows… they’re loud and always arguing over food
A cast of hawks: rooted in falconry, where hawks are “cast” or released into the air
A charm of goldfinches: reflects their bright coloring and delicate, almost cheerful presence
A gaggle of geese: comes from the noisy, honking sounds they make
A skein of geese: describes the formation they make when flying in long, uneven lines
A wake of buzzards: tied to their association with death and scavenging
A kettle of hawks: refers to the way they circle together in rising warm air currents
A pandemonium of parrots: inspired by their loud, chaotic, and energetic nature
A muster of peacocks: suggests a gathering or display, fitting for such showy birds
A bevy of quail: often used for small ground birds moving together
A covey of quail: similar to bevy, referring to a tight-knit family group
A flamboyance of flamingos: a nod to their bright pink color and striking group appearance
A raft of ducks: describes ducks floating together on water
A brace of ducks: traditionally refers to a pair (often used in hunting)
A fall of woodcock: linked to their unpredictable, tumbling flight during courtship
A watch of nightingales: refers to their habit of singing through the night

Final Thoughts

So yes—a group of owls is called a parliament.

But owls don’t really flock, they don’t hang out, and they definitely aren’t meeting up like a little council in the trees. Most of the time, they’re on their own—quiet, independent, and doing their thing.

You’ll mainly only see multiple owls together when they’re family. A clutch of eggs. A brood of baby owls. A handful of siblings sticking close for just a little while before they head off on their own. And if you check out our Ramona Barn Owls livestream, you’ll get a front-row seat to watch it all unfold.