screech owl

noun

1

: barn owl

2

: any of various New World owls (genus Megascops)

especially : either of two small owls (M. asio of eastern North America and M. kennicottii of western North America) with a pair of tufts of lengthened feathers on the head resembling ears

Illustration of screech owl

• screech owl 2

Examples of screech owl in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The last is the Eastern screech owl, which is a much smaller bird, short and stocky. —Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Dec. 2024

Occasionally, Navar says, the center will see a kestrel or screech owl. —Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2024

Instead, great horned and barred owls have grown in number and range, likely responsible for the demise of the screech owl, Pfannmuller noted. —John Myers, Twin Cities, 26 May 2024

Wander the fragrant butterfly garden and then head inside to roam its two floors edged with touch tanks filled with sea creatures, displays with resident animals like a skunk and screech owl, and an impressive gallery with seashells from around the world. —Miami Herald, 18 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

screech owl

noun

: either of two small North American owls that have two tufts of feathers on the head that look like ears