scops owl

Alternative forms

• scops-owl

Etymology

Latin scops, from Ancient Greek σκώψ (skṓps, “a type of small owl”), from σκοπός (skopós, “watcher”), from σκέπτομαι (sképtomai, “I look at”).

Noun

scops owl (plural scops owls)

1. A small European migratory owl, Otus scops, that winters in sub-Saharran Africa.
2. Any owl of the Old World genus Otus.