The word "short-eared" is often used to describe species of owls with distinctive short feathers on their ears. However, there are various synonyms for this word that can be employed in different contexts. One example is "eared" owl, which refers to any owl species with ear tufts or feathers that resemble ears. "Tawny" owl and "wood" owl are other synonyms that refer to different types of owls with short feathers on their ears. Additionally, there are more colloquial terms like "hawkeyed", "sharp-eyed", and "keen-sighted" that can be used to describe the acute vision of these owls.