A bird name referring to a species of small owl, distinct from the larger owl species (יַנְשׁוּף). Listed among unclean birds in Leviticus 11:17 and Deuteronomy 14:16, and appearing in Psalm 102:6 where the suffering psalmist compares himself to 'an owl of the ruins'—a solitary creature inhabiting desolate places. The word may be onomatopoetic, imitating the owl's call (hence כּוֹס). While sharing the same consonants as the common word for 'cup' (כּוֹס I), this is recognized as a separate lexeme based on context and ancient versions, which uniformly understand a bird. The owl's association with ruins made it a powerful metaphor for loneliness and desolation.