Likely Great Horned Owl (also Tiger Owl; identification uncertain)

The feather’s broad buff-and-brown camouflage, soft structure, and pronounced aftershaft strongly suggest a large owl, most plausibly a Great Horned Owl. Adults are powerful, long-tailed predators with prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, a white throat, and a deep hooting call.

Buff, tan, and warm brown with irregular dark barring and mottling; the camouflage pattern is typical of large woodland owls

Pennaceous central vane with loose plumulaceous barbs and a conspicuous aftershaft; owl-like softness is evident

Pale, slender rachis; barbs become increasingly loose toward the base, with dense down surrounding the lower shaft

Soft, matte, and velvety rather than glossy; the vanes appear flexible and finely fringed

Probably breast, flank, or wing-coverts rather than a primary, based on the broad rounded outline and soft aftershaft

Large size, mottled buff coloration, rounded contour form, abundant basal down, and owl-like soft barbs; exact species cannot be confirmed from this feather alone

Mature forests, woodland edges, deserts, agricultural areas, suburbs, and city parks; nests commonly occupy large trees, cliffs, or abandoned nests

Resident across much of North and Central America, from Alaska and Canada through the United States and Mexico to parts of Central America; generally nonmigratory

A top nocturnal predator that regulates mammal and bird populations; it is widespread and currently considered Least Concern, though habitat loss, vehicle collisions, rodenticides, and persecution remain local threats.

Barred Owl and Great Gray Owl feathers may look similar; Great Horned Owl feathers are typically warmer buff-brown and more heavily mottled, while Barred Owl feathers show stronger regular barring and Great Gray feathers are usually grayer.

Great Horned Owls can take prey ranging from rodents to skunks and other birds, and their feather structure supports remarkably quiet flight.

Owl feathers have important cultural significance in some Indigenous traditions, while possession of native owl feathers is generally regulated under wildlife-protection laws in the United States and Canada.

Search beneath daytime roosts, nesting trees, and favored hunting perches, especially during late summer and autumn molt. Compare several feathers together and use rachis length, pattern, and size rather than color alone.

Appears naturally molted and somewhat worn, with intact rachis but loose or frayed basal down; no obvious fault bars, oil, or parasite damage. Condition: Good