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

The Great Horned Owl is a formidable predator with a wingspan up to 5 feet. It is characterized by its large size, yellow eyes, and prominent ear tufts. Its plumage provides perfect camouflage against tree bark.

Heavy horizontal barring of dark chocolate brown over a warm buff and cream background. The dark bands are roughly 1 inch wide. The underside is paler and more muted.

Densely pennaceous with a specialized velutinous (velvety) surface. The leading edge features a diagnostic fimbriate (comb-like) fringe for silent flight.

Incredibly soft and silky to the touch (velutinous). This texture is a specialized adaptation to muffle the sound of air moving over the wing during hunting.

Distinctive 'velvety' texture, soft fimbriate edges for silent flight, and bold, wide dark brown barring on a buffy-orange background.

Extremely versatile; found in deciduous and coniferous forests, deserts, suburban parks, agricultural areas, and rocky canyons.

Widely distributed across North and South America, from the subarctic tree line in Alaska/Canada to the southern tip of South America.

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

Great Gray Owl (grayer, lacks buff tones), Long-eared Owl (smaller, thinner barring), and Barred Owl (shorter, more rounded feathers with different banding patterns).

Great Horned Owls are one of the few predators that regularly hunt skunks, as they have a very poor sense of smell. They can exert over 300 pounds of pressure per square inch with their talons.

Good condition. There is slight fraying at the tip and base, suggesting it may have been molted naturally during the summer or autumn months.