Great Horned Owl (Hoot Owl, Tiger Owl)

The Great Horned Owl is a powerful, heavy-bodied apex nocturnal predator characterized by prominent ear tufts, large yellow eyes, and a deep booming hoot. This feather showcases the supreme adaptation of owl plumage: velvety, frayed barb edges that trap air and break turbulence to allow completely silent flight.

Intricate barred pattern of dark brown and charcoal alternating with buff, tawny, and white markings; classic cryptic coloration typical of a forest-dwelling raptor

Pennaceous tip transitioning rapidly into a very loose, fluffy, plumulaceous base with softened barbs and velvet-like velvety texture designed for silent flight; no distinct afterfeather

Extremely soft, velvety, and matte with no gloss, highly specialized to eliminate sound friction during flight

Soft velvety texture, lack of rigidity on the lower vanes, cryptic brown-and-buff barring, and rounded tip

Inhabits a diverse range of habitats including deciduous and evergreen forests, swamps, deserts, tundra, and urban areas

Widespread across North America, Central America, and parts of South America; year-round resident

Apex nocturnal predator regulating populations of rodents, rabbits, skunks, and other medium-sized mammals

Barred Owl (Strix varia) or Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus), distinguished by finer barring and distinct coloration patterns

Great Horned Owls can exert a crushing grip force of over 300 psi, comparable to the bite force of an adult large dog

Good condition with minor wear along the distal barbs, clean and unfaded

Revelstoke, BC