long-eared owl

American  

[lawng-eerd, long-] / ˈlɔŋˌɪərd, ˈlɒŋ- /

noun

1. a mottled-gray owl, Asio otus, of the Northern Hemisphere, having a long tuft on each side of the head.

---

long-eared owl British  

noun

1. a slender European owl, Asio otus, with long ear tufts: most common in coniferous forests

---

Etymology

Origin of long-eared owl

First recorded in 1805–15

Example Sentences

Despite being called the long-eared owl, the tufts on its head aren't actually ears at all.

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2022

A long-eared owl shocked crew on board a fishing boat over 100 miles off the north coast of Scotland.

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2022

Then from overhead came the hoot of a long-eared owl.

From Washington Post • May 24, 2016

The length of the study has given researchers a detailed portrait of the long-eared owl, which only looks like it has long ears — they are actually feather tufts.

From New York Times • May 23, 2011

There is the long-eared owl, with his bent-in, short, hooked nose and funny feathered ears standing straight up.

From The Children's Book of London by Mitton, G. E. (Geraldine Edith)