Definition

Noun: 1. A small North American owl with distinctive ear tufts: A specific species of owl (Megascops asio or related) native to North America, characterized by small size, feathery "horns" or tufts on its head, and a call that resembles a trembling, quavering whistle rather than a typical hoot. 2. (Broadly) Any owl that produces a screeching cry: A general term for various owl species whose primary vocalization is a harsh, high-pitched screech, as opposed to a low hoot.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Specific Species):
  • We heard the distinctive trill of a screech owl from the oak tree behind the house.
  • The Eastern screech owl can have either gray or reddish-brown plumage.
• Noun (General Term):
  • The barn owl is sometimes called a screech owl because of its piercing scream.
  • The sound in the old forest wasn't a ghost; it was just a screech owl.

Advanced Usage

• Used in contrast to "hooting" owls: The term is often used to differentiate owls by their calls.
  • While great horned owls hoot, their smaller cousins, the screech owls, trill and whinny.

Variants and Related Words

• Screech (verb/noun): To make a harsh, high-pitched sound; the sound itself. This is the root word describing the owl's cry.
• Barn owl (): A common owl species often associated with a screeching call and sometimes referred to colloquially as a screech owl, though it is a different genus.

Synonyms

• (For the specific species): Little horned owl, whistling owl.
• (For the general category): Screaming owl, shrieking owl.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• "To screech like an owl": A simile used to describe a person or thing making a very loud, harsh, high-pitched noise.
  • The rusty gate hinge screeched like an owl in the night.

Noun

1. small North American owl having hornlike tufts of feathers whose call sounds like a quavering whistle
2. any owl that has a screeching cry