Great Horned Owl (also Tiger Owl)

This barred feather likely belongs to a large, adaptable owl with prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and mottled plumage. Great Horned Owls fly powerfully and quietly, hunt a wide range of prey, and give a familiar deep, hooting call.

Buff to cream ground color with broad dark-brown transverse bars and a dark rounded tip. The warm indoor lighting may alter the apparent color; barred patterning is consistent with Great Horned Owl feathers.

The vanes appear mostly intact and pennaceous, with fine, soft-looking edges characteristic of owl feathers; no clear aftershaft is visible.

A prominent, pale tan rachis runs through the feather; the barbs form dense, regularly barred vanes, though the narrower side appears partly folded or overlapped.

Matte and softly edged rather than glossy, with a flexible-looking vane; owl flight feathers have specialized soft edges that help reduce flight noise.

Probably from the wing: its elongated outline and asymmetric vanes are typical of a flight feather rather than a body feather.

The broad, dark crossbars on a pale buff background and the feather’s large, asymmetric shape support an owl flight-feather identification, but are not diagnostic to species on their own.

Great Horned Owls occupy forests, open country, wetlands, deserts, and urban areas, nesting in trees, cliffs, and abandoned nests.

Resident across much of the Americas, from northern Canada and Alaska through Central America and into parts of South America.

A top-level nocturnal predator, the Great Horned Owl helps regulate populations of rodents and other animals. It is widespread and adaptable, though local populations can be affected by habitat change, collisions, and rodenticides.

Barred Owl and other large owls can also have buff-and-brown barred feathers. Feather position, precise barring, size, and comparison with a reference collection are needed for reliable separation.

Great Horned Owls can capture prey ranging from rodents to rabbits and other birds. Their feather structure muffles sound, helping them approach prey with unusually quiet flight.

Owl feathers have cultural significance in various Indigenous traditions, but laws protect many native birds and their feathers. In the United States, possession of most native owl feathers is generally restricted under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act; do not collect or trade without confirming applicable laws.

Photograph both sides beside a ruler and note the feather’s length, shape, and bar pattern; these details help distinguish wing feathers from tail feathers. Do not collect wild owl feathers where prohibited.

Appears generally intact, with some loose or frayed barbs near the base; no obvious severe breakage or staining. Condition: Good, based on the visible side.