Uku
Uku (also called Uguku, Tsgili, or Skili in Cherokee) is the Great Horned Owl, considered the most powerful and feared owl in Cherokee spiritual tradition. The Cherokee language uses the same word, skili or tsgili, for both the great horned owl and witch, reflecting the deep association between these night creatures and dark spiritual forces. The great horned owl was the most dreaded of the three owls named in Cherokee lore. Its cry was considered an omen of death or misfortune, and it was believed that evil spirits, ghosts, and witches could appear in the body of an owl. Only medicine men cou