Which Greek goddess had an owl as her emblem?

In Greek mythology, a little owl (Athene noctua) traditionally represents or accompanies Athena, the virgin goddess of wisdom, or Minerva, her syncretic incarnation in Roman mythology. Because of such association, the bird, often referred to as the "owl of Athena", has been used as a symbol of knowledge, wisdom, perspicacity and erudition throughout the Western world.

The reasons for the association of Athena and the owl are uncertain. Some mythographers (David Kinsley and Martin P. Nilsson) suggest that she may descend from a Minoan palace goddess associated with birds and Marija Gimbutas claim to trace Athena's origins as an Old European bird and snake goddess.

On the other hand, some specialists theorize about the appeal of some characteristics of owls, such as their ability to see in the dark, to be used as a symbol of wisdom, while others propose a simple association between founding myths of Athens and the significant number of little owls in the region (a fact noted since antiquity by Aristophanes in "The Birds and Lysistrata").