What is "laughing owl"

Laughing \Laugh"ing\, a. & n. from Laugh, v. i. Laughing falcon (Zo["o]l.), a South American hawk ( Herpetotheres cachinnans); -- so called from its notes, which resemble a shrill laugh. Laughing gas (Chem.), hyponitrous oxide, or protoxide of nitrogen Laughing goose (Zo["o]l.), the European white-fronted goose. Laughing gull. (Zo["o]l.)

1. A common European gull ( Xema ridibundus); -- called also pewit, black cap, red-legged gull, and sea crow.

2. An American gull ( Larus atricilla). In summer the head is nearly black, the back slate color, and the five outer primaries black.

   Laughing hyena (Zo["o]l.), the spotted hyena. See Hyena.

   Laughing jackass (Zo["o]l.), the great brown kingfisher ( Dacelo gigas), of Australia; -- called also giant kingfisher, and gogobera.

   Laughing owl (Zo["o]l.), a peculiar owl ( Sceloglaux albifacies) of New Zealand, said to be on the verge of extinction. The name alludes to its notes.

n. An owl (''Sceloglaux albifacies'') of New Zealand, now probably extinct, named for its cry.

n. almost extinct owl of New Zealand [syn: laughing jackass, Sceloglaux albifacies]

The laughing owl (Sceloglaux albifacies), also known as whēkau or the white-faced owl, was an endemic owl of New Zealand. Plentiful when European settlers arrived in New Zealand, a scientific description was published in 1845, but it was largely or completely extinct by 1914. The species belonged to the monotypic genus Sceloglaux ("scoundrel owl", probably because of the mischievous-sounding calls).