Great Horned Owl (Hoot Owl, Cat Owl, Winged Tiger)

This feather is a classic example of the 'Winged Tiger.' The bold, dark barring and rich buff tones provide perfect camouflage against tree bark. The bird itself is a large, powerful predator with iconic 'ear' tufts (plumicorns) and piercing yellow eyes.

Dark brown horizontal barring on an ormamented background of buffy-orange and grayish-mottle. The bars are thick and distinct; the base of the feather fades into a paler, downy white.

Pennaceous with a specialized plumulaceous base. Featured velvet-like pile on the surface and a serrated/fimbriate leading edge for silent flight.

Velvety and soft to the touch. The 'fuzz' on the dorsal surface reduces noise by muffling the sound of air passing over the wing. Matte appearance.

Velvet-like dorsal surface; bold dark brown barring; buff-colored background; soft-textured edges for silent flight.

Diverse; deciduous and coniferous forests, swamps, deserts, subalpine areas, and urban parks/orchards.

Resident throughout North and South America, from the Arctic tree line south to the tip of South America. Non-migratory.

Top-tier nocturnal predator. They control populations of rodents, skunks, and even other birds of prey. They are vital ecological indicators of habitat health.

Barred Owl (Strix varia) feathers are similar but generally lack the rich orange/buff tones and have more uniform, grayish-brown barring.

Great Horned Owls are one of the few predators that regularly hunt skunks, as they have a very poor sense of smell. They also have the strongest grip strength of any North American owl.

Excellent condition; barbs are mostly intact though there is slight separation near the tip. No obvious fault bars or parasite damage visible.