Repetitive sound of the screech owl (4)
I believe the answer is:
echo
'repetitive sound' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'of the screech owl' is the wordplay.
'of' says the answer is hidden in the clue.
'ECHO' is hidden in the letters of 'screech owl'.
(Other definitions for echo that I've seen before include "Reproduction" , "She loved Narcissus - it's recalled" , "Say again or imitate" , "In Roman mythology, the nymph who loved Narcissus" , "Repeat or reverberate" .)