Children's book and television characters. Scientific and nature references. Similes and nods to Native American culture.

All good suggestions, perhaps, but will the owl know its name when called?

The Wildlife Center received more than
70 names for a recently rehabilitated long-eared owl now in its education program. Center workers narrowed the suggestions to 10. Now the rest is up to you.

The center wants to know what your top choice is for the owl who has no name. And you've got a deadline — 5 p.m. Oct. 30 — to decide, just in time for Halloween and the national elections. Every owl needs a name for Halloween, right?

The name with the top votes becomes the owl's name, and the person who suggested the name will receive cool gifts from the center.

The owl was brought to the rehabilitation center from the Taos area about two years ago with severe injuries. The bird's recovery was arduous but eventually successful, said Cheryl Bell, the center's development associate. Because the bird couldn't be returned to the wild, it's now an educational animal.

About 25 birds and mammals live year-round at the center north of Santa Fe. They are the centerpiece of more than 120 educational programs and 400 public tours at the center and throughout Northern New Mexico.

The names given to the animals help people form a quick connection with the wildlife and are often associated with a particular trait of the animal or species. Long-eared owls aren't endangered, but they are rarely seen. It's not known if the bird is a male or female, which isn't unusual with winged creatures.

Here are the top name suggestions and the reasons behind the names:

• Dr. Who: A gender-neutral nod to a television hero.

• Hombre: The name given to the bird by its feeder because of its rough demeanor.

• Hope: And the reason: "The owl, being the symbol of wisdom in many traditions, would be well served in being named Hope for this is the time of those with wisdom to embody hope for the future of all living beings."

• Horton: From Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who. "I thought kids might get a kick out of this name."

• KooKoop: Keresan for owl. Keresan is the language of San Felipe, Santo Domingo and Cochiti pueblos.

• Leotus: A combination of the acronym for long-eared owl and its scientific name.

• Otus: A portion of the bird's scientific name, asio otus.

• Radar: In reference to the fact that all those tufts on his/her head look like antennae.

• Sage: The owl was found in the wild "perhaps among the sagebrush where s/he hunted. Sage is a scent that floats on the air of our wildlands in the same spaces s/he would fly through each night. The word also means wise or old wise one."

• Winston Perch-ill: "There is some resemblance to the younger Winston Churchill, plus a personality resemblance of being rough, tough and having an attitude."

What’s your favorite?

Vote and make a bird happy. Drop off your favorite name at the center or e-mail Bell at Cheryl@thewildlifecenter.org.

Those who want to see the bird are welcome to go on the self-guided tour. The center is in Arroyo Seco, off U.S. 84/285 at 19 Wheat St. Call 505-753-9505 for more information or visit the Web site at www.thewildlife center.org. Visitors are welcome from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.