The Leeds coat-of-arms contains three owls - these came from the coat-of-arms of Sir John Saville, the first Alderman of Leeds. Originally from northern France, the Saville family were presented with lands in Yorkshire by William the Conqueror after they supported him during the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

A perching owl badge was added to the strip in 1964. The design was a surprise given Revie's superstition about the symbolism of birds. The owl derived from the three owls that feature on the city's coat of arms, which in turn were taken from the coat of arms of Sir John Savile, the first alderman of Leeds.