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

A large, powerful raptor with prominent ear tufts and a white throat patch. This feather reflects the owl's mottled camouflage, designed to blend with tree bark during the day

Bold horizontal banding of dark chocolate brown and mottled cream/buff; the ventral (under) side is lighter than the dorsal side; rachis is light tan at the base darkening toward the tip

Pennaceous structure with specialized plumulaceous base; barbs are equipped with fine harplike filaments that create a velvety 'muff' to dampen sound

Extremely soft, silky, and matte; the surface is covered in microscopic extensions that reduce air turbulence, enabling silent flight

Soft velvety texture, bold brown-and-buff banding, and the presence of fine comb-like serrations on the leading edge (fimbriae)

Highly adaptable; found in deciduous and evergreen forests, swamps, deserts, subalpine fields, and urban parks/orchards

Year-round resident across North and South America, ranging from the Arctic treeline south to the tip of South America; largely non-migratory

Apex predator; controls populations of rodents, rabbits, and even other raptors like Red-tailed Hawks

Long-eared Owl feathers (significantly smaller and narrower) and Great Gray Owl feathers (more grey-toned and longer)

The 'horns' are not ears but tufts of feathers; they have a grip strength of 300-500 psi, comparable to the bite of a large dog

Good; shows slight wear at the tip and some separation of the lower barbs (pennulum), likely a molted feather from a mature adult