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northern spotted owl
noun
: a rare spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) of old forests on the Pacific coast of North America from northern California to southern British Columbia
Examples of northern spotted owl in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Described as the top threat to the northern spotted owl’s survival, they are considered an emerging threat to the California spotted owl.
—Julia Marnin, Sacramento Bee, 27 Mar. 2024
Barred owls are bigger and more aggressive than northern spotted owls.
—Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 7 Dec. 2023
In just the past 20 years, northern spotted owl populations have declined between 35 to 80 percent.
—Matthew Every, Field & Stream, 7 Dec. 2023
The northern spotted owl’s listing as threatened in 1990 sparked years of feuding between conservationists and the timber industry over the management of Pacific Northwest forestland.
—John Flesher, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2023
The northern spotted owl’s listing as threatened in 1990 sparked years of feuding between conservationists and the timber industry in the Pacific Northwest.
—John Flesher, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2023
The league purchased the land two years ago for $3.5 million funded by Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to provide habitat for endangered northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet to mitigate other environmental damage by the utility.
—Brian Melley, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'northern spotted owl.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1899, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of northern spotted owl was
in 1899
Dictionary Entries Near northern spotted owl
Cite this Entry
“Northern spotted owl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/northern%20spotted%20owl. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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