Old World scops owl
- noun
- UK
:
búho chico
- The Old World scops owl is famous for its camouflaged feathers that blend into tree bark.
Examples
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Birdwatchers in Spain often hope to spot an Old World scops owl during the spring migration.
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The Old World scops owl is often found in wooded areas.
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Unlike its relatives in Asia, the Old World scops owl is rarely seen outside its European range.
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Have you ever seen an Old World scops owl?
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Birdwatchers in Spain often hope to spot an Old World scops owl during the spring migration.
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The Old World scops owl is famous for its camouflaged feathers that blend into tree bark.
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Unlike its relatives in Asia, the Old World scops owl is rarely seen outside its European range.
Synonyms
A small owl that lives in southern Europe and nearby parts of Asia and Africa
Surface Forms
Morphology
A B1 learner who knows 'old', 'world' and 'owl' can infer this refers to an owl associated with the Old World region (Europe/Asia/Africa), so part of the meaning is transparent. However, 'scops' is a taxonomic/foreign element with no obvious lexical meaning for learners, so the precise species label is not predictable from the constituents, making the overall expression only partially transparent.
Etymology
Old World scops owl may come from two simple parts: Old World was a name for Europe and nearby lands, and scops is an old word for a small, ear-tufted owl. So the name tells you it is a 'small owl' from the 'Europe and nearby lands'.
