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Glite Dictionary
Tyto alba

Tyto alba

6.7
A medium-sized white owl often found in barns that eats mice and rats
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Tyto alba
  • The Tyto alba is recognized for its heart-shaped facial disc and silent flight.

Examples

  • The Tyto alba is often seen hunting at dusk.

  • Many farmers appreciate the presence of Tyto alba in their barns.

  • Farmers appreciate the presence of Tyto alba because it helps reduce rodent populations naturally.

  • While studying nocturnal birds, the researchers focused on Tyto alba sightings around rural areas.

  • Farmers appreciate the presence of Tyto alba because it helps reduce rodent populations naturally.

  • The Tyto alba is recognized for its heart-shaped facial disc and silent flight.

  • Many farmers appreciate the presence of Tyto alba in their barns.

Synonyms

barn owl
vsTyto alba
1 2.6

A medium-sized owl with pale, spotted feathers that lives in barns and eats mice

uses the formal species name instead of the common everyday term

Surface Forms

Tyto alba singular
Tyto albas plural

Morphology

Tyto + alba

This is a Latin scientific binomial (proper name) rather than a compositional English phrase; an average B1 learner who knows the listed constituents would not be able to infer that it refers to the barn owl because 'Tyto' is a taxonomic genus label and 'alba' is not an English lexical item in the provided data. Although 'alba' ultimately relates to Latin for 'white', that morphological knowledge and the conventions of biological names are specialized and not available to typical B1 learners, so the meaning is not derivable from the parts.

Etymology

The name Tyto alba is the scientific name for the barn owl. Tyto is the owl group and alba means 'white' in Latin, so the name makes you picture a pale 'barn owl' often living in farm buildings that eats mice and rats.