English

Noun

owling ‎(uncountable)

1. (dated) the smuggling of sheep or wool out of England
2. Birding, specifically for owls.
3. (Internet slang) A variation on planking in which a person is photographed or filmed squatting down in an unusual location.

Related terms

• owler

Etymology 2

From owl +‎ -ling.

Noun

owling ‎(plural owlings)

1. A small, juvenile, or baby owl; owlet.
   • 1940, Canadian Forestry Association, Forest and outdoors - Volume 36 - Page 344:

     Owls are extra hungry then, there being a batch of Greatlings or Hornlings or Owlings or whatever Great Horned Owl babies are called sitting on the edge of a nest waiting on Pa and Ma Owl to bring home the bacon.

   • 1985, Romanian review - Volume 39, Issues 6-12 - Page 22:

     [...] a true graveyard of objects in the middle of which proudly stood a yellow hackney carriage, its seats eaten by mice and scratched by the hens lying their eggs clandestinely among their broken springs. Tens of bird nests were hanging under the caves, some of them broken and deserted, some new, with featherless nestlings chirping their heads off. Eumeus, who was sitting on the stairs, pointed to the roof of the stable. Perched on its top, huddled together, three owlings were ogling them.

   • 1994, Cascade Holistic Economic Consultants, Different drummer magazine - Volume 1, Issue 1 - Page 22:

     But the spotted owl isn't at the top of the food chain. Instead, the larger great horned owl will eat spotted owls, owlings, or eggs whenever it can.

Anagrams

• lowing