screech owl

or screech-owl

noun

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, especially the barn owl.

screech owl

noun

1. a small North American owl, Otus asio, having ear tufts and a reddish-brown or grey plumage
2. any owl that utters a screeching cry

Word History and Origins

Origin of screech owl¹

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

This year, the Wildlife Center of Virginia posted on Facebook about an Eastern screech owl that flew into a glue trap.

From Los Angeles Times

We have horned owls here that would happily eat a screech owl if they could.

From Salon

Each chapter of “Dinosaurs” makes mention of a different bird: hummingbirds, screech owls, cuckoos, the common New York City pigeon.

From New York Times

A few doors down from the vulture, we came to a whiskered screech owl, a gray owl with large yellow eyes spray-painted on a black security screen.

From Washington Post

Sounds of the marsh filtered in through the cracked-open window: frogs croaking, cicadas singing, and the call of screech owls.

From Literature