Great Horned Owl (also known as Tiger Owl or Hoot Owl)

This feather belongs to the 'Tiger of the Air,' a large, powerful owl with prominent ear tufts. The bird itself is mottled grey-brown with a white throat patch and yellow eyes. It is famous for its deep, rhythmic hooting.

Distinctive horizontal barring consisting of dark brownish-black bands alternating with buff-cream or pale tan intervals. The pattern is 'mottled' rather than clean-edged, providing disruptive camouflage.

The distal portion is pennaceous with interlocked barbs, while the proximal half is highly plumulaceous (downy). The pennaceous edges exhibit velvet-like fimbriae (soft fringes) for silent flight/movement.

Incredibly soft and velvety to the touch. The surface has a matte appearance with a specialized downy 'bloom' that reduces friction and sound during movement.

Bold 'tiger-stripe' dark barring, exceptionally soft/downy texture, and a buffy-cinnamon base color within the pale bands.

Extremely versatile, found in deciduous and evergreen forests, swamps, deserts, subarctic tundra, agricultural areas, and even urban parks.

Year-round resident throughout North and South America, stretching from the northern tree line in Alaska and Canada south to the tip of South America.

Apex nocturnal predator. They control populations of rodents, rabbits, and even other birds of prey. They are highly adaptable 'generalist' hunters.

Barred Owl (Strix varia) feathers have more vertical streaking on the belly, though flank feathers are similar; however, Barred Owl feathers usually lack the rich buff/orange tones of the Great Horned Owl.

Great Horned Owls have a crushing power in their talons of up to 500 psi. They are one of the few predators that regularly hunt skunks, as they have a very poor sense of smell.

Good condition; the pennaceous tip shows minor fraying at the edges, likely representing a naturally molted feather rather than one lost to predation.