barred owl

noun

1. a large owl, Strix varia, of eastern North America, having its breast barred and abdomen streaked with dark brown.

Word History and Origins

Origin of barred owl¹

An Americanism dating back to 1805–15

Example Sentences

Sometimes we hear a barred owl in the tree.

From Seattle Times

To the untrained eye, the spotted owl and the barred owl look almost identical.

From New York Times

The proposal is also intended to prevent declines of the California spotted owl, which wildlife officials say is also facing encroachment from the larger, more aggressive barred owl in the Sierra Nevada.

From Los Angeles Times

While the more aggressive barred owl is largely responsible for the downward spiral in the northern spotted owl population, so is habitat loss due to increasingly hotter and more destructive wildfire, insects and tree diseases.

From Seattle Times

They also have none of the aggressive and territorial manner of the barred owl.

From Seattle Times