Adjacent Words

screech owl definitions

	Tweet

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: any owl that has a screeching cry
2: small North American owl having hornlike tufts of feathers whose call sounds like a quavering whistle [syn: screech owl, Otus asio]

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 1593 1. barn owl 2. any of various New World owls (genus Otus); especially either of two small owls (O. asio of eastern North America and O. kennicottii of western North America) with a pair of tufts of lengthened feathers on the head resembling ears

Britannica Concise

Any of numerous owls of the genus Otus (family Strigidae). Both New World species and Old World species (called scops owls) have a facial disk and ear tufts. In spite of their name, they do not in fact screech. Their coloring resembles tree bark, and they are 8-12 in. (20-30 cm) long. They eat mostly small mammals, birds, and insects. Notable species are the common screech owl (O. asio) of N. America, the flammulated owl (O. flammeolus) of W N. America, and the common scops owl (O. scops) of S Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Screech Screech, n. A harsh, shrill cry, as of one in acute pain or in fright; a shriek; a scream. Screech bird, or Screech thrush (Zo["o]l.), the fieldfare; -- so called from its harsh cry before rain. Screech rain. Screech hawk (Zo["o]l.), the European goatsucker; -- so called from its note. [Prov. Eng.] Screech owl. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A small American owl (Scops asio), either gray or reddish in color. (b) The European barn owl. The name is applied also to other species.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

skrech.

See NIGHT-MONSTER.