Great Horned Owl (Hoot Owl, Tiger Owl)

The Great Horned Owl is a powerful and adaptable nocturnal apex predator known for its prominent ear tufts, piercing yellow eyes, and deep hooting calls. Often called the tiger of the sky, it preys on a wide variety of mammals and birds. Its plumage is a masterpiece of cryptic camouflage, allowing it to blend seamlessly into tree bark.

Intricate barred pattern featuring alternating bands of dark charcoal grey, warm buff/tawny brown, and whitish-cream, with a pale whitish-tan base; typical of the cryptic camouflage coloration of the species

Mixed structure featuring a pennaceous distal tip with interlocked barbs transitioning rapidly into plumulaceous (fluffy, downy) base with separated barbs and no functional hamuli on the lower portions

Extremely soft, velvety, and matte in texture with no gloss, adapted for silent flight; the barbs lack the rigid interlocking hooklets found in diurnal raptors

Distinctive bold horizontal barring of dark brown/grey and tawny buff on a pale background, combined with an exceptionally soft, downy basal structure and a curved, pale rachis

Incredibly adaptable, found in deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests, deserts, wetlands, agricultural areas, tundra edges, and urban parks

Widespread throughout the Americas, ranging from the sub-Arctic regions of Canada and Alaska down through the United States, Central America, and deep into South America

Acts as a top apex nocturnal predator, regulating populations of rodents, rabbits, skunks, and other small-to-medium mammals. It is a key indicator of healthy, diverse woodland and edge habitats

Barred Owl (Strix varia) and Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus), though Barred Owl feathers typically feature more linear striping and grey-brown tones, while Short-eared feathers are generally smaller and more streaked

Great Horned Owls are among the earliest nesting birds in North America, often laying eggs in the dead of winter (January or February). They possess a gripping force of up to 500 psi, roughly equivalent to a human handshake, and have asymmetrical ears that allow for pinpoint sound triangulation in total darkness.

Good condition, largely intact barbs with minor natural wear at the fluffy base, displaying vibrant coloration with no major bleaching or damage