Hold tight, because your Monday just took a dramatic turn. Twin Peaks’ famous “the owls are not what they seem” motto applies here. A lot of people are pointing out that an owl has executed the perfect Kate Bush impression. Sit back and let that sink in for a moment. And then feast your eyes on Exhibit A) An Owl Channelling Kate Bush.
An owl having the most Kate Bush moment ever. pic.twitter.com/mXAV1xDg0p
— Suze Azzopardi (@TheAzzo) July 9, 2017
This isn’t just any owl. The majority of owls hide in the daytime, perch on branches and twist their heads 360, Exorcist-style, like the freakishly weird creatures that they are. But this is an owl that appears to be able to arch its wings in such a way that, mid-flight, it can resemble the ‘Hounds of Love’ star’s hand motions. Fingers (wing fingers) split apart, eyes focused directly on the camera, it has mastered Bush’s exact mix of oddness and steely cool.
— david (@davidxaIan) July 9, 2017
To be fair, if a human attempted this impression, it would be pretty accurate. But this is courtesy of an actual owl. It goes without saying that Twitter’s been sent into a frenzy.
oh my god pic.twitter.com/eCS8BRZWTM
— Miguel Catunda Queir (@SiriusMivhh) July 9, 2017
Wowl Wowl Wowl Wowl…unbelievable
— Christopher Farrelly (@ChrisFarrelly) July 9, 2017
Owls are actually quite versatile creatures. They have “eye tubes” that go all the way back into their skulls, meaning they can’t be angled in any direction, leaving those spinning heads to do the work. They eat their meals whole – no chewing whatsoever, they don’t have time for chewing. They’ve also been known to randomly attack humans in the street. And if you weren’t already slightly frightened, they can do this:
Lovely. Just lovely.
But this Kate Bush owl points to a new skill of its species that we never before knew until now – the ability to perfectly recreate an old-school press photo, limb for limb. Photographer Sue Dougherty is responsible for the amazing image – see the original here. Perhaps they tried various poses, perhaps she just managed to catch this owl going about its business while reaching new (wuthering) heights. All that matters is that this photo exists.