“The owls are not what they seem.”
– The Giant to Agent Cooper, Episode 2.001
The owls of Twin Peaks are just as important as cherry pie and damn, fine cups of coffee. For this article, I’m examining all of the “Superb Owls” found in Seasons 1-3 and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Unlike the Giant’s cryptic phrase spoken to Agent Cooper in episode 2.001, you’ll see these owls are exactly what they seem – incredibly majestic creatures represented in both art and real life.
THE OWLS OF TWIN PEAKS IN SEASON 1
There aren’t many owls in the Pilot Episode. The only one spotted was on the Concierge Desk at The Great Northern Hotel.
Look carefully behind Ben Horne at The Timber Falls Motel in Episode 1.001.
An owl silently watches Donna Hayward and James Hurley in episode 1.004 as they check the spot where they buried Laura Palmer’s half-heart necklace.
The Log Lady has an owl on her bookshelf in episode 1.005. This one will appear again at The Great Northern Hotel in Season 2. Speaking of Season 2, the number of owls will greatly increase compared to Season 1.
THE OWLS OF TWIN PEAKS IN SEASON 2
Sheriff Truman’s office has a large owl paperweight on the side desk in episode 2.002. This one will remain in that spot for most of Season 2.
Okay, so this isn’t an image of an owl but the phrase is so important to the mythology of Twin Peaks. It’s Major Briggs’ message to Agent Cooper in episode 2.002.
In Cooper’s dream from episode 2.002, he sees Bob with a superimposed image of an owl at the end of Laura Palmer’s bed.
An oversized book about owls is seen on a table in the Great Northern Hotel lobby in episode 2.003. It’s the first of many times we’ll see this book in Season 2. It’s also begging to be identified (add that to my list of things to do).
We catch a glimpse of Truman’s owl statue as Cooper brings him coffee in episode 2.003.
You can see also an owl painting next to a floor lamp in episode 2.003. This picture “hangs” around for a few episodes but eventually flies away.
Above Laura Palmer’s grave, an owl sits perched on a tree in episode 2.003.
We’ll see this particular owl a few more times in Season 2.
A better look at Truman’s office owl is seen in Episode 2005 when Cooper and him are planning their visit to One Eyed Jack’s.
Just before entering One Eyed Jack’s, Cooper spots an owl.
The same owl from episode 2.005 is seen again in episode 2.006 just before the Bookhouse exterior is shown.
As Cooper speaks with Sheriff Truman in episode 2.006, we get another look at the double owl painting.
The owl book in the Great Northern Hotel lobby is briefly seen in episode 2.007. It’s turned in the opposite direction compared to Episode 2003.
The owl book returns in episode 2.008 as Leland Palmer dances in the Great Northern Hotel lobby. It’s still facing the same direction from episode 2.007.
When Pete Martell visits Sheriff Truman in episode 2.008, we catch a brief glimpse of the owl statue.
An owl flies toward the camera above “Owl Pipe” at the end of Episode 2009.
The owl was provided by Steve Martin’s Working Wildlife (not the comedian) for this episode. On October 26, 1990, director Todd Holland with a camera operator named “Sparks” filmed several takes of the owl flying and sitting in front of a blue screen. We’ll see this footage again later in Season 2.
Catherine tells Truman how she survived in the woods in Episode 2010. It’s the last time we’ll see the double owl painting. I wonder why it was removed.
The owl statue in Truman’s office appears two more times in episode 2.010.
The same owl footage from episode 2.003 returns in Episode 2010. It appears when Agent Cooper urinates in the outdoors while camping with Major Briggs.
The only difference with this footage is that it is shown backward compared to episode 2.003.
A new owl appears on Truman’s desk in episode 2.011 when Betty Briggs visits. We’ll get a closer look at it in episode 2.016 so stay tuned.
When James Hurley plays the box at Wallie’s, we see an owl statute sitting silently behind the bar. Don’t worry, we’ll get a better look in a few episodes.
The miniature owl paperweight on Truman’s desk returns in episode 2.011 when Denise Bryson pays a visit.
A silhouette of a smaller owl statue is seen behind Lana when she entertains the men in Truman’s office from episode 2.012.
I love the giant white owl lamp found in the Briggs’ house in episode 2.012.
It’s the only time we see this lamp and it’s spectacular!
I really need to identify it and find one for my house.
As Earnie Niles waits for a call in Episode 2013, we can finally see a little more detail of Truman’s paperweight owl. A better look is on the horizon in episode 2.016.
The little owl paperweight peeks over the doughnuts and a towel later in episode 2.013.
One lonely owl sits on Nadine Hurley’s figurine-filled shelf just before Hank Jennings crashes into it. I believe it survives the action.
More looks of Truman’s desk paperweight owl and owl statue are seen in Episode 2014.
Audrey Horne and Bobby Briggs talk by candlelight at the Great Northern Hotel in episode 2.014. The owl that appears to be from the Log Lady’s cabin in episode 1.005 reappears next to them.
When Leo Johnson attacks his wife Shelly in episode 2.014, we see an owl call in the woods.
More images from Truman’s office in episode 2.014. Notice the owl statue and the little owl paperweight have moved slightly. The double owl painting is also gone from the wall near the dart board.
The owl at Wallie’s returns in episode 2.014 just above Donna Hayward’s head.
The same owl footage from the end of episode 2.009 appears again at the end of episode 2.014. This blue screen footage was placed over images of the woods as Leo stumbles toward Windom Earle’s cabin.
The owl at Wallie’s watches James Hurley and Donna Hayward in episode 2.015.
Director Diane Keaton must have loved adding owls to episode 2.015. We see another painting of one when Catherine Martell speaks to Thomas Eckhardt via the phone at the Blue Pine Lodge.
The owl at Wallie’s has flown from his counter behind the bar and landed on the bar itself in episode 2.015.
A rack full of Great Horned owl images catches the attention of Windom Earle at the end of episode 2.015.
Finally! We get a wonderful look at the little owl paperweight from Truman’s desk at the beginning of episode 2.016.
These close-up shots of an owl calling in episode 2.018 are magnificent. They are from the same blue screen shoot created for episode 2.009.
Of course there would be an owl in owl cave! The image of the flying owl is superimposed over actual location footage in episode 2.018.
The images of the owl flying above the law enforcement team in episode 2.018 appear to be reversed.
The same blue screen owl footage from episode 2.009 is again used as the owl flies out of Owl Cave.
An owl appears inside the silhouette of a hooded figure in episode 2.019. The owl looks down in this scene as he is actually eating some food on a branch (same footage created during episode 2.009).
Similar footage will appear again in episode 2.019 (sans hooded figure silhouette).
Deputy Hawk and another Great Northern Hotel guest are seen reading the oversized Owl book in episode 2.020.
Somehow the owl from Wallie’s flies over to the Packard’s kitchen at Blue Pine Lodge in episode 2.021.
The final owl of Season 2 appears just as Agent Cooper enters Glastonbury Grove in episode 2.022. It is the same footage found in episode 2.003 and 2.010.
THE OWLS OF TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME
Surprisingly, there aren’t many owls in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. I only found the lamp in the Palmer’s bedroom.
Just like the lamp at the Briggs house in Episode 2012, I want this one for my home too!
THE OWLS OF TWIN PEAKS IN SEASON 3
There are also not many owls in Season 3 on Showtime. The one seen most often is a necklace that Lucy Brennan wears with several outfits.
As Dougie Jones and the limo drive wait outside the Jones’ house in Part 4, we catch a glimpse of an owl flying overhead.
Besides Lucy’s necklace, the other most common owl seen is the cookie jar from the Jones’ kitchen. It is first seen in Part 4. You can read more about this prop in this article (a replica is currently sitting on a shelf in my family room).
It’s difficult to see but there appears to be a shadow of a bird over the Jones’ house in Part 12. I’m assuming it’s an owl and was added in post-production.
The owl cookie jar makes another appearance in Part 15 while Dougie is eating chocolate cake and when the electricity from the outlet illuminates the entire kitchen.
Don’t blink or you’ll miss the owl artwork that Diane Evans passes in Part 16.
Lucy is still sporting the owl necklace in Part 17.
The last owl spotted for this article is found on the bookshelf behind Sheriff Frank Truman’s desk in Part 17.
Whew! That was a lot of owls. Which one is your favorite? Share in the comments below.
The owl book is just as it seems….I think…
Owls of the Northern Hemisphere
Karel Voous & Ad Cameron
978-0262220354
There are small owl figurines on the shelves of interior Great Northern Hotel lobby set w/Hawk and Audrey Horne. Wonderful article. In fact the tiny owl in Part 17 from Season 3 I believe is one of the owl figurines seen in S3ason Two. I could be wrong but we’ve seen cups turn up 25yrs later(a green one i believe)….
Again wonderful article, Im having so much fun looking at Twin Peaks thru this lense.
I think there’s an owl figurine in the mirror to the left of Harry in the pilot episode at 28:06. I apologize if this has been mentioned already, or if I’m wrong.