Great Horned Owl (Hoot Owl, Cat Owl)

This is a small body feather from a Great Horned Owl, North America's most widely distributed owl. The bird itself is a massive raptor with prominent ear tufts and weighing up to 5 lbs. It has a distinctive white throat patch and deep yellow eyes.

Alternating horizontal bands of creamy-white and tawny or grayish-brown. The bands are soft-edged, creating a mottled camouflaging effect typical of the species.

Highly plumulaceous (downy) at the base for insulation with a more pennaceous but exceptionally soft distal portion. Lack of stiff interlocking barbicels allows for silent movement.

Velvety and incredibly soft to the touch. It has a matte finish with a specialized 'fuzz' or pilosity that muffles sound during flight and movement.

Characteristic 'owl fuzz' texture, horizontal brown-on-cream banding, and a large proportion of downy base relative to the shaped tip.

Extremely versatile, found in deciduous and evergreen forests, swamps, deserts, subalpine fields, and urban parks.

Resident throughout North and South America, from the northern tree line in Alaska and Canada south to the tip of South America.

Apex predator. They control populations of rodents, skunks, and even other birds of prey. They are vital indicators of ecosystem health.

Barred Owl feathers are similar but often show more vertical streaking on bellies; Red-tailed Hawk feathers lack the velvet texture and sound-muffling fuzz.

Great Horned Owls can apply up to 300 pounds per square inch of pressure with their talons, enough to sever the spine of a large rabbit or even a skunk.

Good condition. The feather appears naturally molted. Some slight separation of barbs at the tip is visible, typical of a contour feather exposed to environment.