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

The Great Horned Owl is a powerful, heavily built apex predator of the night, easily recognized by its prominent ear tufts, large yellow eyes, and deep hooting call. It possesses exceptional night vision and acute hearing, allowing it to ambush a wide variety of prey.

Intricate earth-toned pattern with alternating dark brown, grayish-black, and buff or white horizontal bars and vermiculations across a grey-brown background.

Plumulaceous at the base transitioning to pennaceous toward the tip; barbs feature velvety, modified barbules that eliminate sound during flight.

Exceptionly soft, velvety, and matte due to specialized fringe-like barbules designed to absorb sound rather than reflect it.

Soft velvety texture with no reflective sheen, intricate dark brown and grey horizontal barring, and broad rounded tip.

Incredibly adaptable, found in deciduous and coniferous forests, deserts, swamps, tundra, agricultural areas, and urban parks.

Widespread throughout North America, Central America, and South America, residing year-round across almost all biomes.

Acts as a top nocturnal apex predator, keeping rodent, rabbit, and pest populations in natural balance.

Barred Owl (Strix varia) and Long-eared Owl (Asio otus), which share similar barred patterns but differ in size and specific coloration nuances.

Great Horned Owls are capable of exerting up to 500 pounds per square inch of crushing pressure with their talons, comparable to the bite force of a large dog.

Fair condition with some minor fraying along the edges and weathering from exposure to the elements on the ground.