morepork

1. (chiefly New Zealand) The Tasmanian spotted owl (Ninox novaeseelandiae), a small brown owl indigenous to New Zealand and Tasmania.Examples: "[T]he eye of the Morepork or Greater Night Jarr,^([sic]) which I lately had the opportunity of examining, is wonderfully adapted for enabling it to see the insects in the dark, on which it feeds."; "Although the living figure of our owl may be unknown to most persons, from the nature of its habits, yet few, perhaps very few, of the older settlers are unacquainted with the human-like cry of the More-pork."; "[I]t was better fun wandering about with the old man at night than moping in my hut, listening to the morepoke."Synonyms: mopoke, ruruNew-Zealand

2. (Australia, New Zealand, colloquial, derogatory) Used as a mild term of abuse.Examples: "It is interesting that the Opposition morepork is starting to chirp. [...] We have all heard about the "gang of four and a half"—the morepork brigade."AustraliaNew-Zealandcolloquialderogatory

3. (Australia, New Zealand, colloquial, derogatory) Used as a mild term of abuse.Examples: "Where's that old morepoke? O, you're there, are you? Fetch the jack off o' your wagon—come! fly roun'! you're (very) slow for a young fellow."Synonyms: bum, couch potato, dawdler, deadbeat, dogfucker, do-naught, do-nothing, dosserAustraliaNew-Zealandcolloquialderogatory