Great Horned Owl (Tiger Owl, Hoot Owl)

The Great Horned Owl is a large, powerful nocturnal apex predator with prominent ear tufts, bright yellow eyes, and a deep hooting call. It possesses exceptional hearing and silent flight, allowing it to ambush a diverse array of prey ranging from rodents to small mammals and birds.

Intricate earthy camouflage with bold dark brown or charcoal horizontal barring and mottling across a pale grey, buff, and white background

Pennaceous vane with specialized velvety, plumulaceous-like fringe on the barbs and a comb-like leading edge to eliminate aerodynamic noise

Extremely soft, velvety, and matte texture designed to absorb sound, lacking the stiff, glossy sheen found in diurnal raptor feathers

Distinctive dark brown horizontal bars on a mottled grey-buff background, coupled with the velvety, noise-dampening texture characteristic of owl flight feathers

Extremely adaptable, inhabiting deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests, deserts, wetlands, agricultural areas, and urban parks

Widespread throughout North America, extending south through Central America into South America

Acts as a top nocturnal apex predator, helping regulate populations of rodents, rabbits, and other small to medium-sized animals

Barred Owl (Strix varia) and Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus), distinguished by different barring widths and color tones

Great Horned Owls can exert a crushing foot pressure of over 300 pounds per square inch, roughly equal to that of a large dog's bite, and they are often the primary predator of skunks

Good condition, mostly intact vane with minor wear along the lower edge and some natural fluff adhering near the base