prairie owl

American  

noun

1. burrowing owl.

2. short-eared owl.

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Etymology

Origin of prairie owl

An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Example Sentences

In the lull, the soft night-breeze crooned its minor song, while near or far away—no human ear could measure the distance—a prairie owl gave its weird cry.

From Ben Blair The Story of a Plainsman by Lillibridge, Will

Of a sudden, out of the maize patch, out of the grass, seemingly out of space itself, came a new cry—the trilling call of the prairie owl.

From Where the Trail Divides by Lillibridge, Will

As the vehicle turned about, the crunching of the wheels started a great gray prairie owl, which rose almost beneath the horses' noses and flapped slowly off.

From The Girl at the Halfway House A Story of the Plains by Hough, Emerson

The sharp bark of the coyote, near or far away; soft as an echo, the gently cadenced tremolo of the prairie owl.

From A Breath of Prairie and other stories by Marchand, J. N.

There was no warning trill of prairie owl.

From Where the Trail Divides by Lillibridge, Will