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Glite Dictionary
Strix aluco

Strix aluco

9.9
A medium-sized brown European owl with a round head and black eyes
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Strix aluco
  • The Strix aluco blends well into its surroundings, thanks to its reddish-brown plumage.

Examples

  • With its distinctive call, the Strix aluco is a familiar sound throughout rural Britain.

  • The Strix aluco is often heard hooting at night in European woodlands.

  • Researchers tracked the movements of several Strix aluco individuals during their breeding season.

  • The Strix aluco is often found in woodlands.

  • Have you ever seen a Strix aluco in the wild?

  • In the quiet of the night, the Strix aluco can be heard hooting in the nearby forest.

  • Birdwatchers often seek out the Strix aluco for its iconic appearance and haunting calls.

Synonyms

tawny owl
vsStrix aluco
  • UK
7.0

A medium-sized European owl with reddish-brown feathers and black eyes

is the scientific name used instead of the common name

Surface Forms

Strix aluco singular
Strix alucos plural

Morphology

Strix + aluco

The element 'Strix' names an owl genus, so a learner who knows that can infer the phrase refers to an owl species; however 'aluco' is not an English word and gives no transparent information about color or common name. Binomial Latin species names function as taxonomic labels—partially informative (it’s an owl) but not fully compositional for the detailed meaning, so prior lexical or encyclopedic knowledge is required.

Etymology

Strix aluco may come from old words for an owl: Strix was used for a night bird with a harsh call, and aluco may come from an Italian word for a small owl. So the name creates the image of a reddish-brown night bird, which is why it refers to the 'tawny owl' today.