screech owl

noun

1

: barn owl

2

: any of various New World owls (genus Megascops)

especially : either of two small owls (M. asio of eastern North America and M. kennicottii of western North America) with a pair of tufts of lengthened feathers on the head resembling ears

Illustration of screech owl

• screech owl 2

Examples of screech owl in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Back to the wild for young owls Following a visit to the Maitland facility to see the new owl enclosure, I was invited to help release three juvenile eastern screech owls back into the wild. — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2026

The nightly visits to Secret Spring can probably be explained by the screech owl’s small territorial area than can range from 2 to about 25 acres depending on food availability and habitat. — Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 May 2026

Birdsong once echoed off canyon walls, and birdwatchers anticipated the nesting ritual of screech owls every summer. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 26 Mar. 2026

Small owls like screech owls often sleep in tree cavities or nest boxes, while barn owls live up to their name by seeking out barns and empty buildings. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for screech owl

• afoul
• wildfowl
• foul
• foule
• fowl
• growl
• howl
• jowl
• prowl
• scowl
• waterfowl

Kids Definition

screech owl

noun

: either of two small North American owls that have two tufts of feathers on the head that look like ears