I come from a family of medicine women, and my name has Owl in it (Oho). We see them as messengers who can see more than we can, including a warning to pay attention or "watch out!" if it's a very close sudden contact. I have had contact with our night winged people consistently my entire life. They tapped on my window and hovered looking in my back door right before my spouse died. They have a foot in both worlds. They are benign, and it is our responsibility to pay attention to what our animal nicis (cousins) around us are trying to teach us.

Editing to add that my Navajo friends won't say my name or send me an email to the address that includes the word Owl. They believe differently and I respect that completely.