quawk1
/kwɔːk/noun
1Chiefly United States regional. The black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax, which has a deep, hoarse call.
2The harsh call of a night heron, duck, or other bird.
Origin
Mid 19th century. Imitative. Compare earlier quawk and also squawk.
quawk2
/kwɔːk/(also quouk, quark, quork) originally and chiefly regional
verb
[no object] Of a bird or other creature, especially a rook, crow, or domestic fowl: to utter a harsh call or quawk; to squawk.
Origin
Early 19th century; earliest use found in John Clare (1793–1864), poet, farm labourer, and naturalist. Imitative. Compare quawk, earlier cawk, and also squawk.