The owl is considered a lucky animal in Myanmar. Hung on rearview mirrors as a charm, it is believed that if one enters into your house, luck will follow. A commonly seen form this lucky bird takes is the golden, grapefruit-sized, hollow version, often spied in pairs in stores large and small alike. This particular one of a pair roosts in a tailor shop in Sagaing, near Mandalay.

A more novel form can be seen on this lottery ticket being sold at a street stall in a Yangon neighborhood, design courtesy of the “Get Extraordinary Prize” Lottery Company. Closer inspection reveals the bird’s feathers to be various denominations of Myanmar’s currency, the kyat (pronounced “chat”).