Likely Barred Owl (also Northern Barred Owl); identification is tentative from the photo.

A long barred feather lies against a forest floor and is held near its base. Its repeated pale and dark bands suggest a Barred Owl, a large, rounded-winged forest owl known for the call “Who cooks for you?”

Brown to gray-brown ground with repeated pale buff-white crossbars and darker bars; patterning is consistent with a barred owl, but not diagnostic alone.

Close, interlocking pennaceous barbs form a coherent vane; fine details and any aftershaft are not visible.

Slender pale central shaft; alternating dark and pale bands cross the vane, with some apparent unevenness or wear.

Appears matte and fairly firm, with a slightly frayed or worn edge; tactile qualities cannot be assessed from the image.

Probably tail, based on its elongated, fairly symmetrical form; a secondary flight feather cannot be excluded.

Alternating pale and dark crossbars, brown-gray coloration, and elongated shape. Similar patterns occur in other owls, so location and comparison with reference specimens are important.

Barred Owls favor mature, often damp forests near streams, swamps, and wetlands, and also use wooded suburbs; they nest in tree cavities.

Resident across much of eastern North America and parts of the Pacific Northwest, with range expansion into western forests; generally nonmigratory.

Barred Owls are forest predators of rodents, birds, amphibians, and other small animals. They are widespread, though habitat loss and competition with Spotted Owls are concerns in parts of their range.

Great Horned Owl feathers can also be barred but are often larger and more strongly patterned; Spotted Owl feathers may show spots and bars. Feather overlap makes visual identification uncertain.

Barred Owls hunt by listening as well as watching and can rotate their heads extensively. Their westward range expansion has brought them into contact and competition with Spotted Owls.

Owl feathers have cultural significance in some Indigenous traditions; practices differ among communities. In the United States, possession of most native owl feathers is generally restricted by federal wildlife law—do not collect or keep one without authorization.

Photograph both sides beside a ruler, noting shaft length, vane symmetry, and band spacing; compare with regional feather guides. Check local regulations before handling or collecting.

Fair to good: visible vane is mostly intact but appears somewhat worn; no clear fault bars, parasites, or contamination can be assessed at this resolution.