Likely Great Horned Owl (also called Tiger Owl); identification is tentative from one feather.

The specimen is a broad, barred brown feather with a pale shaft and a visibly ragged base. A Great Horned Owl is a large, adaptable nocturnal predator with ear tufts, barred plumage, a deep hoot, and a powerful, nearly silent flight.

Warm brown with irregular buff and dark-brown bars and mottling. This resembles an owl feather, but lighting, wear, and overlap make species-level pattern matching unreliable.

Pennaceous vanes with visible, loosely separated or frayed barbs near the base; the image does not clearly show the fine leading-edge comb typical of owl flight feathers.

A straight, pale central shaft is visible; barbs form irregular banded patches on either side, with substantial loose material near the base.

Matte, soft-looking surface; the vane is worn or disrupted, especially near the lower end.

Probably wing, based on the broad vane and apparent asymmetry; tail or another feather cannot be excluded from this view.

Rounded broad tip, asymmetrical-looking vanes, and mottled brown-and-buff barring are consistent with an owl feather but are not diagnostic of species.

If from a Great Horned Owl, habitats range from forests and wetlands to grasslands, deserts, and urban parks; it nests in trees, cliffs, and abandoned nests.

Great Horned Owls are widespread year-round across much of the Americas, from Canada through Central America and into parts of South America.

Great Horned Owls are generalist predators that help regulate prey populations. They are widespread and generally assessed as secure, though local populations can be affected by habitat loss and human activity.

Barred Owl and other large owls can have similar brown-buff barring; pattern varies widely, and a single feather usually cannot distinguish them confidently.

Great Horned Owls have feather adaptations that reduce flight noise and can take prey ranging from rodents to other birds.

Owl feathers have cultural significance for some Indigenous peoples; meanings and practices vary. Many owl species are legally protected, so possession or trade may be restricted—check local laws.

Photograph both sides beside a ruler and inspect the feather’s leading edge for fine comb-like fringes. Record the find location; identification is stronger when associated feathers or a known roost are present.

Appears worn or damaged at the base, with loose barbs; no clear evidence of active growth, fault bars, or contamination. Condition: Fair.