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

This is a large, powerful primary feather from a Great Horned Owl. The bird itself is a massive raptor with prominent ear tufts and a white throat patch. They have a 3-5 foot wingspan and are famous for their deep 'hoo-h'hoo-hoo' vocalizations.

Mottled grayish-brown base with 5-7 thick, dark chocolate-brown horizontal bars; tawny/ochraceous wash near the base and mid-section; underside is lighter and more matte

Pennaceous throughout the main vane with a plumulaceous (downy) base; notable for fine, velvet-like fimbriae (comb-like edges) on the leading edge to dampen sound

Extremely soft and velvety to the touch (to minimize air turbulence); matte surface with no iridescence; stiff rachis provided for structural integrity during flight

Distinctive velvety texture, dark horizontal banding, tawny base highlights, and the fringed 'silent flight' edge on the leading vane

Highly adaptable: found in deciduous and evergreen forests, swamps, deserts, subalpine fields, and urban parks

Permanent resident across North America from the Arctic tree line south through Central America and parts of South America

Apex predator; controls populations of rodents, rabbits, and even other birds of prey; occupies a vital niche in the nocturnal food web

Barred Owl (smaller, lacks tawny color), Long-eared Owl (thinner, different banding frequency), and Great Gray Owl (larger, more uniform gray/silver tones)

Great Horned Owls have a crushing grip of 300+ PSI and are one of the few animals that regularly prey on skunks because they have a poor sense of smell

Fair to Good; shows signs of natural wear including several splits in the vane (zip-like barbs separated) and some fraying at the tip and trailing edge