ground owl: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, Regional
Quick answer
What does “ground owl” mean?
A colloquial and regional name for the Burrowing Owl, a small, long-legged owl that lives in underground burrows, often in open, treeless landscapes like grasslands and prairies.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A colloquial and regional name for the Burrowing Owl, a small, long-legged owl that lives in underground burrows, often in open, treeless landscapes like grasslands and prairies.
The term can be used more broadly in regional dialects to refer to any owl species observed frequently on the ground, due to its hunting or nesting habits, though this is less common and non-standard.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively American, referring to the native Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia). In British English, the term is virtually unknown and would likely cause confusion, as no common UK owl species is strongly associated with ground-dwelling.
Connotations
In American usage, it carries connotations of the American West, prairies, and dry, open habitats. It has a rustic, colloquial feel.
Frequency
Extremely rare in British English. Low-frequency, regional colloquialism in American English, primarily in the western and central US.
Grammar
How to Use “ground owl” in a Sentence
The [ADJ] ground owl [VERB] in/on/near the [NOUN].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “ground owl” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- (Rare) The children read a book about American wildlife and saw a picture of a ground owl.
American English
- We saw a family of ground owls standing by their burrow on the ranch.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Avoid in formal ornithological writing; use "Burrowing Owl." May appear in historical or ethnographic texts discussing local fauna names.
Everyday
Used in casual conversation in specific rural regions of North America.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “ground owl”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “ground owl”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “ground owl”
- Using "ground owl" in formal writing.
- Assuming it refers to any owl seen on the ground once.
- Using the term outside of a North American context.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Ground owl' is a regional and informal folk name. The official common name is 'Burrowing Owl' (Athene cunicularia).
It is not recommended. For academic and scientific accuracy, you should always use the standard term 'Burrowing Owl.'
You are most likely to hear it in rural areas of the western and central United States and Canada, where the Burrowing Owl lives.
They nest and roost underground, typically in burrows abandoned by animals like prairie dogs or ground squirrels. They do not dig the burrows themselves.
A colloquial and regional name for the Burrowing Owl, a small, long-legged owl that lives in underground burrows, often in open, treeless landscapes like grasslands and prairies.
Ground owl is usually informal, regional in register.
Ground owl: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡraʊnd ˌaʊl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡraʊnd ˌaʊl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: An owl that is on the GROUND, not in a tree. It's grounded.
Conceptual Metaphor
A BIRD IS A MAMMAL (via its unusual, non-avian ground-dwelling behavior).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary, standard English term for the bird referred to as a 'ground owl'?