screech owl

screech owl
noun
1. any owl that has a screeching cry
Hypernyms: ↑owl, ↑bird of Minerva, ↑bird of night, ↑hooter
2. small North American owl having hornlike tufts of feathers whose call sounds like a quavering whistle
Syn: ↑Otus asio
Hypernyms: ↑owl, ↑bird of Minerva, ↑bird of night, ↑hooter
Member Holonyms: ↑Otus, ↑genus Otus

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noun
2. : any of numerous small owls of the genus Otus that range from southern Canada to Brazil, are closely related to the Old World scops owls, and have erectile ear tufts and plumage with blackish streaks and vermiculation; especially : an eastern No. American owl (O. asio) that is represented by several geographical varieties in the west and southwest and that exhibits two distinct phases of coloration consisting of a reddish brown and a gray

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1. any of numerous small American owls of the genus Otus, having hornlike tufts of feathers, as O. asio, of eastern North America.
2. (not in technical use) any owl having a harsh cry, esp. the barn owl. Also, screech-owl.
[1585-95]

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screech owl noun
1. Any of various small N American owls characterized by a long quavering cry
2. The barn owl
3. A bringer of bad news
• • •
Main Entry:screech

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screech owl,
1. a small, usually gray or reddish-brown owl with hornlike tufts of feathers and a long, wavering cry rather than a hoot. Screech owls occur in several color phases and varieties.
2. any owl that screeches, as distinguished from one that hoots.
3. British. the barn owl. It has a very shrill, explosive cry.

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a) n. a small American owl with a screeching call and distinctive ear tufts.
b) Otus asio, family Strigidae

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noun, pl ⋯ owls [count]
: a kind of small American owl that has bunches of feathers that look like ears on the sides of its head

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • screech owl — screech′ owl n. orn any of several small New World owls of the genus Otus, having hornlike tufts of feathers, as O. asio, of E North America …   From formal English to slang

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  • screech owl — 1. any of numerous small American owls of the genus Otus, having hornlike tufts of feathers, as O. asio, of eastern North America. 2. (not in technical use) any owl having a harsh cry, esp. the barn owl. Also, screech owl. [1585 95] * * * Any of… …   Universalium

  • screech-owl — tikrieji apuokėliai statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Otus angl. screech owl rus. совка, f pranc. petit duc, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – apuokėliai siauresnis terminas – afrikinis apuokėlis siauresnis terminas –… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • Screech Owl Sanctuary — is a haven for sick and injured owls located near St Columb Major, England, United Kingdom. The sanctuary hosts hundreds of owls in a number of aviaries organized by species, and in 2002 was the recipient of a BBC Animal Award for its work in… …   Wikipedia

  • screech owl — /ˈskritʃ aʊl/ (say skreech owl) noun any owl with a harsh cry, as the barn owl, Tyto alba, or many members of the genus Otus (distinguished from hoot owl) …  

  • screech owl — noun a) A North American owl belonging to the Megascops genus. b) the barn owl, Tyto alba …   Wiktionary

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