DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 Owl n.
 1. Zool. Any species of raptorial birds of the family Strigidae.  They have large eyes and ears, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye.  They are mostly nocturnal in their habits.
 Note: ☞ Some species have erectile tufts of feathers on the head.  The feathers are soft and somewhat downy.  The species are numerous.  See Barn owl, Burrowing owl, Eared owl, Hawk owl, Horned owl, Screech owl, Snowy owl, under Barn, Burrowing, etc.
 Note: ☞ In the Scriptures the owl is commonly associated with desolation; poets and story-tellers introduce it as a bird of ill omen.  . . . The Greeks and Romans made it the emblem of wisdom, and sacred to Minerva, -- and indeed its large head and solemn eyes give it an air of wisdom.
 2. Zool. A variety of the domestic pigeon.
 Owl monkey Zool., any one of several species of South American nocturnal monkeys of the genus Nyctipithecus.  They have very large eyes.  Called also durukuli.
 Owl moth Zool., a very large moth (Erebus strix). The expanse of its wings is over ten inches.
 Owl parrot Zool., the kakapo.
 Sea owl Zool., the lumpfish.
 Owl train, a cant name for certain railway trains whose run is in the nighttime.

 Screech, n. A harsh, shrill cry, as of one in acute pain or in fright; a shriek; a scream.
 Screech bird, or Screech thrush Zool., the fieldfare; -- so called from its harsh cry before rain.
 Screech rain.
 Screech hawk Zool., the European goatsucker; -- so called from its note. [Prov. Eng.]
 Screech owl. Zool. (a) A small American owl (Scops asio), either gray or reddish in color. (b) The European barn owl. The name is applied also to other species.
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 screech owl
      n 1: any owl that has a screeching cry
      2: small North American owl having hornlike tufts of feathers
         whose call sounds like a quavering whistle [syn: Otus
         asio]