great horned owl

American  

noun

1. a large, brown-speckled owl, Bubo virginianus, common in the Western Hemisphere, having prominent ear tufts.

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Etymology

Origin of great horned owl

First recorded in 1670–80

Example Sentences

We were soon greeted by Jack Levenberg, a docent and naturalist, with Sierra, a great horned owl, perched on his gloved hand.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

Then a great horned owl appeared on my screen, again with a red dot.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 7, 2023

Besides C25, one of her other favorite photographic subjects was a great horned owl nest in Jamaica Plain.

From Salon • Dec. 26, 2021

A great horned owl was also recently spotted, as was a skink who shed its skin on camera.

From Washington Post • Sep. 24, 2020

There was a great horned owl that had been sliced out of a tree and came into her rescue.

From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers