also: みみずく
noun
Refers to any owl with ear-like tufts, such as the long-eared owl or eagle owl. Usually written in kana.
夜の森でミミズクの鳴き声が聞こえた。
I heard the call of a horned owl in the forest at night.
ミミズクは耳のように
Horned owls are characterized by feather tufts that look like ears.
Kanji form; rarely used in practice. The reading is a jukujikun.
Rarely used kanji form.
Rarely used kanji form.
フクロウ is a general term for owls, often referring to those without prominent ear tufts, while ミミズク specifically denotes owls with ear-like tufts.
The word ミミズク is a native Japanese term, likely derived from 耳 (mimi, 'ear') and 付く (tsuku, 'attached'), referring to the ear-like tufts. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.