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

This feather belongs to the Great Horned Owl, a powerful apex predator known for its large size and distinctive 'ear' tufts. The bird itself is mottled gray-brown with a white throat patch and piercing yellow eyes. Its plumage is designed for total stealth and extreme insulation.

Base color of light cream or buff with distinct horizontal transverse bars of medium brown. The downy portion is a neutral grayish-white. This barring is a classic cryptic camouflage pattern for woodland concealment.

Mixed structure; the distal third is pennaceous with fine interlocked barbs, while the proximal two-thirds is highly plumulaceous (downy) for insulation. The surface features a velvety nap characteristic of owls.

Extremely soft and velvety to the touch. This specialized surface (fimbriae) helps dampen sound, contributing to the owl's silent flight capabilities. The appearance is matte and non-reflective.

Soft, velvety texture; distinct horizontal brown barring on a buff background; large, expansive plumulaceous (downy) base.

Highly adaptable; found in deciduous and evergreen forests, swamps, deserts, agricultural areas, and suburban parks.

Widespread throughout North and South America, from the subarctic treeline in Alaska and Canada south to the tip of South America. Mostly a year-round resident.

Apex predator; controls populations of rodents, rabbits, and even other birds of prey. They are important indicators of general ecosystem health.

Long-eared Owl feathers are similar but generally smaller and more narrowly barred. Barred Owl feathers have stronger, darker, and more vertical-oriented patterns on the breast but horizontal on the neck; however, Barred Owl feathers lack the distinct warm buff tones found here.

Great Horned Owls have a crushing power in their talons of up to 500 psi. They are one of the few predators that regularly hunt skunks, as they have a very poor sense of smell.

Good condition; the distal vane is intact, though the proximal downy barbs are somewhat matted. No visible fault bars or parasite damage.