Strigidae
Họ Cú mèo

General names

The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections are welcome.

Note on Vietnamese naming: With the exception of ducks and chickens, it is common for Vietnamese bird names to be preceded by the word Chim meaning 'bird', although it is normally omitted in Vietnamese bird lists. All bird names, whether they include chim or not, can be preceded by the classifier con, which is used for living creatures.

In Vietnamese, the general word for owl is Chim cú. Scops owls are known as Chim cú mèo 'cat owl bird' or Chim mèo 'cat bird'. Owlets are called Chim vọ or Chim cú vọ. Generalist dictionaries also list Chim hào as a word for 'owl'. The term Chim ụt, defined in dictionaries only as an 'ugly nocturnal bird', appears to also refer to the owls.

Ornithologists use the following terminology for owls.

The terms Chim Dù dì (eagle owls and fish owls) and Chim Hù (wood owls) appear to be quite specialised. They are not found in ordinary dictionaries.

Vietnamese has a couple of expressions that are rather unflattering to owls:

Xấu như cú 'ugly as an owl' = very ugly.

Hôi như cú 'stink like an owl' = stinky.

Species names

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STRIGINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Otus                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Otus spilocephalus Mountain scops owl Mountain scops-owl Spotted scops owl Petit-duc tacheté Chim Cú mèo Latusơ 'Latouche cat owl (bird)'   黄嘴角鸮 (黃嘴角鴞) huáng-zuǐ jiǎo-xiāo 'yellow-billed horned-owl' Taiwan: (黃嘴角鸮) 黃嘴角鴞 huáng-zuǐ jiǎo-xiāo 'yellow-billed horned-owl' タイワンコノハズク (台湾木の葉木菟) taiwan ko-no-ha zuku 'Taiwanese tree-leaf zuku' นกเค้าภูเขา nók kʰáw pʰuu-kʰăw 'mountain owl (bird)' Burung Jampuk Gunung 'mountain owl (bird)' (26) Burung Hantu Gunung 'mountain ghost-bird' (24, 25) Burung Celepuk Gunung 'mountain scopsowl (bird)' Otus bakkamoena Collared scops owl Petit-duc à collier Chim Cú mèo khoang cổ 'streak-necked cat owl (bird)' Taxonomy   领角鸮 (領角鴞) lǐng jiǎo-xiāo 'collared horned-owl' Taiwan: (领角鸮) 領角鴞 lǐng jiǎo-xiāo 'collared horned-owl' オオコノハズク (大木の葉木菟) ō ko-no-ha zuku 'large tree-leaf zuku' นกเค้ากู่ nók kʰáw kùu 'calling owl (bird)' or นกฮูก nók hûuk 'owl (onomat.) (bird)' Taxonomy Burung Jampuk Kubur 'grave owl (bird)' (26) Taxonomy Burung Hantu Reban 'poultrypen ghost-bird' (24, 25) Burung Celepuk Reban 'poultrypen scopsowl (bird)' Taxonomy Otus sunia Oriental scops owl Oriental scops-owl Petit-duc d'Orient Chim Cú mèo nhỏ 'small cat owl (bird)'   红角鸮 (紅角鴞) hóng jiǎo-xiāo 'red horned-owl' (1, 2, 4, 5) 东方角鸮 (東方角鴞) dōngfāng jiǎo-xiāo 'eastern horned-owl' (3) Taiwan: (东方角鸮) 東方角鴞 dōngfāng jiǎo-xiāo 'eastern horned-owl' Taiwan former official: (角鸮) 角鴞 jiǎo-xiāo 'horned-owl' コノハズク (木の葉木菟) ko-no-ha zuku 'tree-leaf zuku' นกเค้าหูยาวเล็ก nók kʰáw hŭu-yaaw lék 'small long-eared owl (bird)' Burung Jampuk Kecil 'small owl (bird)' (26) Burung Kuang Kuik 'kuang kuik bird (onomat.)' (Cf cuckooshrike) (24, 25) Burung Celepuk Asia 'Asian scopsowl (bird)' Bubo                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Bubo nipalensis Spot-bellied Eagle-owl Forest eagle owl Grand-duc du Népal Chim Dù dì Nêpan 'Nepalese dudi bird'   林鵰鸮 (林鵰鴞) lín diāo-xiāo 'forest eagle-owl' ネパールワシミミズク (ネパール鷲木菟) nepaaru washi mimi-zuku 'Nepalese eagle eared-zuku' นกเค้าใหญ่พันธุ์เนปาล nók kʰáw-yày pʰan nee-paan 'Nepalese species large-owl (bird)'     Ketupa                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Ketupa zeylonensis Brown fish owl Brown fish-owl Kétoupa brun Chim Dù dì Phương đông 'eastern dudi bird'   褐渔鸮 (褐漁鴞) hè yú-xiāo 'brown fishing-owl' カッショクウオミミズク (褐色魚木菟) kasshoku uo mimi-zuku 'brown fish eared-zuku' นกทึดทือพันธุ์เหนือ nók tʰéut-tʰeuu pʰan nĕua 'northern species tʰéut-tʰeuu bird' (onomat.) Burung Tumbuk Ketampi Rimba 'jungle fishowl striking bird' (26) Burung Hantu Ikan 'fish ghost-bird' (24, 25)   Ketupa flavipes Tawny fish owl Tawny fish-owl Kétoupa roux Chim Dù dì hung 'reddish dudi bird'   黄腿渔鸮 (黃腿漁鴞) huáng-tuǐ yú-xiāo 'yellow legged fishing-owl' (2, 4, 5) 黄脚渔鸮 (黃腳漁鴞) huáng-jiǎo yú-xiāo 'yellow-legged fishing-owl' (1, 3) Taiwan: (黃鱼鸮) 黄魚鴞 huáng yú-xiāo 'yellow fish-owl' ウオミミズク (魚木菟) uo mimi-zuku 'fish eared-zuku'       Ketupa ketupu Buffy fish owl Buffy fish-owl Malay fish owl Kétoupa malais Chim Dù dì Kêtupu 'ketupu dudi bird'   马来渔鸮 (馬來漁鴞) mǎlái yú-xiāo 'Malay fishing-owl' マレーウオミミズク (マレー魚木菟) marē uo mimi-zuku 'Malay fish eared-zuku' นกทึดทือพันธุ์มลายู nók tʰéut-tʰeuu pʰan ma-laa-yuu 'Malayan species tʰéut-tʰeuu (bird)' (onomat.) Burung Tumbuk Ketampi 'fishowl striking bird' (26) Burung Hantu Kuning 'yellow ghost-bird' (24, 25) Burung Beluk Ketupa 'fishowl owl bird' (Latin names are from Malay) Strix                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Strix seloputo Spotted wood owl Spotted wood-owl Chouette des pagodes Chim Hù Phương đông 'eastern woodowl (bird)' (onomat.)   点斑林鸮 (點斑林鴞) diǎn bān lín-xiāo 'spotted forest-owl' マレーモリフクロウ (マレー森梟) marē mori fukurō 'Malay forest-owl' นกเค้าป่าหลังจุด nók kʰáw-pàa lăng-cùt 'spot-backed forest owl (bird)' Burung Hantu Berbintik 'speckled ghost-bird' (26) Burung Hantu Carik-kafan 'shroud-tatters ghost-bird' (kafan or kapan from Arabic) (24) Burung Hantu Carik Kafan 'shroud-tatters ghost-bird' (kafan or kapan from Arabic) (25) Burung Kukuk Selaputo 'spottedwoodowl kukuk (bird)' (onomat.) (Latin species name is from Malay) Strix leptogrammica Brown wood owl Brown wood-owl Chouette leptogramme Chim Hù 'woodowl (bird)' (onomat.)   褐林鸮 (褐林鴞) hè lín-xiāo 'brown forest-owl' Taiwan: (褐林鸮) 褐林鴞 hè lín-xiāo 'brown forest-owl' オオフフクロウ (大斑梟) ō fu fukurō 'large striped owl' นกเค้าป่าสีน้ำตาล nók kʰáw-pàa sĭi-nám-taan 'brown forest owl (bird)' Burung Hantu Rimba 'jungle ghost-bird' (26) Burung Hantu Punggor 'deadstump ghost-bird' (24) Burung Hantu Punggur 'deadstump ghost-bird' (25) Burung Kukuk Beluk 'owl kukuk (bird)' (onomat.) Strix aluco Tawny owl Eurasian tawny owl Tawny wood owl Chouette hulotte Chim Hù nivicon 'nivicola woodowl (bird)' (onomat.)   灰林鸮 (灰林鴞) huī lín-xiāo 'grey forest-owl' Taiwan: (灰林鸮) 灰林鴞 huī lín-xiāo 'grey forest-owl' モリフクロウ (森梟) mori fukurō 'forest-owl'

SURNIINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Glaucidium                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Glaucidium brodiei Collared owlet Collared pigmy owlet Cuckoo owl Chevêchette à collier Chim Cú vọ mặt trắng 'white-faced vọ owl (bird)'   领鸺鹠 (領鵂鶹) lǐng xiū-liú 'collared owlet' Taiwan: (鸺鹠) 鵂鶹 xiū-liú 'owlet' ヒメフクロウ (姫梟) hime fukurō 'princess owl' นกเค้าแคระ nók kʰáw kʰráe 'pygmy owl (bird)' Burung Pungguk Kerdil 'dwarf hawkowl (bird)' (26) Burung Hantu Kerdil 'dwarf ghost-bird' (24) Burung Hantu Kecil 'small ghost-bird' (25) Burung Beluk-watu Gunung 'mountain rock-owl (bird)' Glaucidium cuculoides Asian barred owlet Cuckoo owlet Barred owlet Chevêchette cuculoïde Chim Cú vọ 'vọ owl (bird)'   斑头鸺鹠 (斑頭樇鶹) bān-tóu xiū-liú 'stripe-headed owlet' オオスズメフクロウ (大雀梟) ō suzume fukurō 'large sparrow owl' นกเค้าโมง nók kʰáw mooŋ 'mooŋ owl (bird)' (probably onomat.) or นกเค้าแมว nók kʰáw-maeew 'cat (=mewing) owl (bird)'     Athene                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Athene brama Spotted owlet Spotted little owl Chevêche brame Chim Hù trán trắng 'white-foreheaded woodowl (bird)' (onomat.)   横斑腹小鸮 (橫斑腹小鴞) héng-bān-fù xiǎo-xiāo 'horizontal-stripe-bellied small owl' インドコキンメフクロウ (インド小金目梟) indo ko kinme fukurō 'Indian small golden-eyed owl' นกเค้าจุด nók kʰáw cùt 'spotted owl (bird)'     Ninox                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Ninox scutulata Brown hawk-owl Brown hawk owl or Brown boobook Northern Boobook Ninoxe hirsute Chim Cú vọ lưng nâu 'brown-backed vọ owl (bird)'   鹰鸮 (鷹鴞) yīng-xiāo 'hawk-owl' Taiwan: (褐鹰鸮) 褐鷹鴞 hè yīng-xiāo 'brown hawk-owl' アオバズク (青葉木菟) ao-ba zuku 'green-leaf zuku' นกเค้าเหยี่ยว nók kʰáw-yìaw 'hawk owl (bird)' Burung Pungguk 'hawkowl (bird)' (26) Burung Hantu Betamak 'brownhawkowl ghost-bird' (24) Burung Hantu Betemak 'brownhawkowl ghost-bird' (25) Burung Pungguk Coklat 'brown hawkowl (bird)'

ASIONINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN VIETNAMESE EAST ASIAN S. E. ASIAN Asio                 Latin English/French Vietnamese Other V Chinese (incl. Taiwan) Japanese Thai Malaysian Indonesian Asio flammeus Short-eared owl Hibou des marais Chim Cú lửa 'fire owl (bird)'   短耳鸮 (短耳鴞) duǎn-ěr xiāo 'short-eared owl' Taiwan: (短耳鸮) 短耳鴞 duǎn-ěr xiāo 'short-eared owl' コミミズク (小木菟) ko mimi-zuku 'small eared-zuku' นกเค้าแมวหูสั้น nók kʰáw maeew hŭu-sân 'short-eared cat (=mewing) owl (bird)' Burung Hantu Sayap Panjang 'long-winged ghost-bird' (26) Burung Hantu Tuli 'deaf ghost-bird' (24, 25)

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