Great Horned Owl (Hoot Owl, Tiger Owl)

The Great Horned Owl is a large, powerful nocturnal raptor recognized by its prominent ear tufts, striking yellow eyes, and deep hooting call. It is a top apex predator of the night with exceptional hearing and vision.

Intricate barred pattern with alternating dark brown/black and grayish-buff horizontal bands over a mottled tawny background, typical of cryptic owl plumage

Pennaceous upper vane with a plumulaceous (fluffy, downy) base; barbs lack traditional noisy interlocking barbicels, providing the velvet texture essential for silent flight

Extremely soft, velvety, and matte in appearance with no glossy sheen, completely non-reflective to aid in silent nocturnal hunting

Distinctive horizontal dark brown barring on a grayish-buff background combined with the extremely soft, velvety fringe texture unique to owl feathers

Incredibly adaptable, inhabiting dense forests, deserts, wetlands, agricultural areas, urban parks, and tundra edges

Widespread throughout the Americas, found from the subarctic regions of North America down through Central America to the tip of South America

Acts as a keystone apex nocturnal predator, helping to regulate rodent, rabbit, and small mammal populations while occasionally preying on other birds of prey

Barred Owl (Strix varia) and Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus), distinguished by the specific width and contrast of the brown barring and overall feather dimensions

Great Horned Owls can rotate their heads 270 degrees and possess a crushing talon force of over 500 pounds per square inch, roughly equal to that of an adult human's handshake

Good overall condition, intact barbs, slight wear at the very tip, no apparent parasitic damage or major breakage