The Wet Owl memes are for when you’ve simply had enough

Wet Owl memes are a series of memes featuring wet owls and highlighting how drastically different than their dried-off counterparts. Once you see the expressions of these displeased birds, you'll understand how they can convey so many relatable emotions. One particular owl, innocuously shared in a YouTube comment, stars in many iterations of the meme.

The memes became popular as people realized how much of a difference feathers can make in a bird's appearance. Most people are surprised to learn how long the bird's legs are, as well as how small its torso is relative to the rest of its body.

Wet Owl meme origin

Filmmaker David Hoffman posted the original image of a wet owl that's most commonly used in these memes. In the YouTube comment, he shares how he and his wife came upon the unusual-looking bird.

Dear Subscribers, Members & Patrons:
Yesterday after more than three months of no rain here in Northern California, it rained. And my wife and I decided to go out and walk in it.

Everyone knows how miserable it can feel and how wonderful it can feel. We went to the Elkhorn Slough and there was no one there. Silence. Except for the rain. We had our rain gear on. But I took off my hat and just got wet like this poor owl.

And then, too soon say the weathermen and the water resource folks, it stopped and there were these puffy white clouds that were just so beautiful. The birds started to sing.

And then out of nowhere on what we thought was an unused railroad track, an Amtrak train came by going very slowly filled with people. The birds yelled at it. Loud.

And the train was gone and it was silent again except for a few droplets of rain and the birds singing.

David Hoffman, YouTube

The bird appears drenched, with a pitiful but defeated look on its face. It's got a striking appearance that captures attention. The expression is relatable to anyone who has ever been truly and thoroughly over a situation. It wasn't long until it took flight online.

Many people get a kick out of making simple text memes around the miserable-looking owl. Others enjoy photoshopping him into different scenes, sometimes replacing a cannon character.

Some people find wet owls to be scary

After enjoying considerable circulation on Tumblr and Twitter (X), the wet owl memes made their way to TikTok, with one TikTok user admitting she was scared of the unsettling-looking wet birds. Several other TikTokers agreed that there's something a little eerie about the drenched birds and they can understand the fear.

Of course, many others think the big-eyed birds are very cute, albeit a little puny and pathetic looking when entirely soaked.

Wet Owl memes

More animal memes:

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• Maxwell the cat is a legend among gamers
• Thumbs up to the thumbs up crying cat meme

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