<p>Dropped off our son for O-week. I casually asked several students, faculty an/or administrators about the mascot. None of the people I asked knew the species. It has become an itch I need to scratch. Can anyone enlighten us, please?</p>
<p>It's the Great Horned Owl. However, the owl that appears on the crest is the Athenian Owl. Ironically, neither of these species exists on the Rice campus.</p>
<p>more on Athena and owls:
<a href="http://rg.ancients.info/owls/%5B/url%5D">http://rg.ancients.info/owls/</a></p>
<p>Thanks for the info</p>