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

The Great Horned Owl is a large, powerful nocturnal predator known for its prominent ear tufts, piercing yellow eyes, and deep hooting call. It is a supreme apex predator of the night.

Intricate earth-toned patterning with alternating dark brown, cinnamon, and whitish-grey bars and mottling, typical of cryptic camouflage coloration

Pennaceous at the distal tip with interlocked barbules, transitioning to highly plumulaceous (fluffy, down-like) barbs at the proximal base; lacks rigid hooklets near the base giving it an exceptionally soft, silent-flight texture

Exceptionly soft, velvety, and matte texture with no gloss, highly adapted for muffling sound during flight

Soft velvety texture, prominent horizontal brownish-grey barring on a pale background, and a fluffy plumulaceous base characteristic of Strigidae

Incredibly adaptable, found in deciduous and evergreen forests, deserts, tundra, swamps, urban areas, and agricultural fields

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

Apex nocturnal avian predator controlling rodent, rabbit, and small carnivore populations; serves as an important indicator of ecosystem health

Barred Owl (Strix varia) and Long-eared Owl (Asio otus), distinguished by the coarser barring and softer texture of the Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owls have specialized fringe-like serrations on the leading edge of their flight feathers that break up airflow, allowing them to hunt in near-total silence

Good condition, intact barbs, slight natural wear at the very edge of the tip, clean with no apparent parasitic damage