Great Horned Owl (Tiger Owl, Hoot Owl)

The Great Horned Owl is a powerful and massive nocturnal predator with prominent ear tufts, bright yellow eyes, and a deep hooting call. It is one of the most adaptable owls in the Americas, preying on everything from small rodents to large mammals and birds.

Rich warm brown and grayish-white horizontal barring across the vane. The rachis is light tan to whitish, blending into the barred pattern.

Pennaceous at the upper tip transitioning into a soft, plumulaceous (fluffy) structure toward the base with no distinct afterfeather. The barbs have specialized velvety micro-structures typical of owls for silent flight.

Extremely soft, velvety, and matte in texture, lacking the gloss of diurnal raptor feathers, which helps muffle sound during flight.

Distinctive bold brown and white horizontal barring, a rounded tip, and exceptionally soft, velvety barb surfaces designed for silent flight.

Incredibly adaptable, found in deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests, deserts, swamps, tundra edges, agricultural areas, and even urban and suburban neighborhoods.

Widespread throughout North America, Central America, and South America, occurring from the sub-arctic down to the tropics as a year-round resident.

Acts as an apex nocturnal predator, helping to naturally regulate populations of rodents, rabbits, raccoons, and other small-to-medium-sized animals.

Barred Owl (Strix varia), which tends to have more vertical streaking on the breast rather than strong horizontal barring, and Eastern Screech-Owl, which is significantly smaller.

Great Horned Owls can exert a crushing grip strength of over 300 pounds per square inch, roughly equivalent to the bite force of a large dog, and they are often the primary predator of skunks.

Good condition with intact barbs and minimal wear, showing clear coloration and standard fluffiness at the base.

4 inches. Found in Massachusetts neighborhood.