hawk owl

noun

1. a gray and white diurnal owl, Surnia ulula, of northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere, resembling a hawk in appearance and actions.

hawk owl

noun

1. a hawklike northern owl, Surnia ulula, with a long slender tail and brownish speckled plumage

Word History and Origins

Origin of hawk owl¹

First recorded in 1735–45

Example Sentences

In rural Washington five years ago, a local man killed a northern hawk owl, a protected species, because he was angered that birders were photographing the bird in the area.

From New York Times

We spotted a northern hawk owl silent in a snag.

From New York Times

Here are the snowy owl of North America and the hawk owls.

From Project Gutenberg