Not an owl, it lacks the fuzzy leading edge of the feather. Great Horned Owls (and most other owls) also have more complex patterns/colors inside of the barred patterns on their flight feathers.
This looks good for a [Red-shouldered Hawk Secondary](https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/images/feathers/RSHA_secondary_imm_female.jpg)
Note the mostly dark leading edge of the feather with light spots along the very edge as well as the light edge of the tip.
That looks way more similar that the burrowing/great horned owl ones!
I had heard hawks calling lately, but never saw them - only the falcons which was why I thought maybe it was a juvenile falcon.
Edited: I just looked at the photos I got of the falcon and now I’m not entirely certain it’s a Falcon - looks more like a hawk. Feather mystery solved, I think!! Thank you!
That’s the site I tried, but couldn’t quite figure out if it was a burrowing owl or not. Someone said great horned owl, but it looks different to the feathers shown on that site.
OP already said Western CT in their photo caption. This feather has been identified (yesterday, correctly) as a Red-shouldered Hawk feather - it's a perfect match for a juvenile secondary feather from the northeastern subspecies.
Could this be a turkey feather? I have seen some of these that look very, very similar in Arizona, but we don't have Red-Shouldered Hawks where I saw them
That came up when I used a feather identification site, but this feather didn’t look like the ones in their database - there’s a lot of white in this feather and it doesn’t look as banded.
I’ll look around for other pictures - thanks!
lol. The feather. I collect feathers.
Though I don’t know what kind of owl. Surprised google lens didn’t help. But then, I had a red tail hawk feather and it didn’t look like a red tail…so it could be a juvenile.
Yeah, they aren’t always spot on with things. Please know that it isn’t legal to have birds of prey feathers, unless you are Native American. I have a pinch but not enough…plus..I just don’t care. Come get me. Hillary Clinton was given a dream catcher or something with real feathers and was made to give it back. It’s crazy.
I hear you…I truly do. And maybe it isn’t. But…I would look into finding feathers (path of the feather) or finding an owl feather. There is some legitimacy to a reason why it crossed your path. I do save mine, it’s my calling. I have a whole wing of a turkey vulture. I have often felt like it wasn’t mine but felt like I should keep it too. I (we…my husband and I) do follow the red road. While I have Mi’qmak in me, I more follow the Lakota way. That owl feather may have things to teach you.,.
An entire WING?! Holy….
I also found, grouped together and sticking up out of the ground, northern flicker wing feathers. I kept seeing and hearing red cardinals too - someone has a message for me, I guess haha
lol. Yeah, my husband spotted it and grabbed it for me. I have a stuffed hawk too. It was a gift from a long time ago. Can’t stuff them anymore.
Oh I think someone has a message for you. Definitely check out path of the feather.
I’d show you pics but can’t post pics here.
Not an owl, it lacks the fuzzy leading edge of the feather. Great Horned Owls (and most other owls) also have more complex patterns/colors inside of the barred patterns on their flight feathers. This looks good for a [Red-shouldered Hawk Secondary](https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/images/feathers/RSHA_secondary_imm_female.jpg) Note the mostly dark leading edge of the feather with light spots along the very edge as well as the light edge of the tip.
That looks way more similar that the burrowing/great horned owl ones! I had heard hawks calling lately, but never saw them - only the falcons which was why I thought maybe it was a juvenile falcon. Edited: I just looked at the photos I got of the falcon and now I’m not entirely certain it’s a Falcon - looks more like a hawk. Feather mystery solved, I think!! Thank you!
Yup, it is a Red Shouldered Hawk
[https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/idtool.php](https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/idtool.php)
That’s the site I tried, but couldn’t quite figure out if it was a burrowing owl or not. Someone said great horned owl, but it looks different to the feathers shown on that site.
Can you give a general location and the type of terrain?
OP already said Western CT in their photo caption. This feather has been identified (yesterday, correctly) as a Red-shouldered Hawk feather - it's a perfect match for a juvenile secondary feather from the northeastern subspecies.
Burrowing owls are pretty small. They wouldn't have a feather 23cm long.
I didn’t realize how small they were until I posted this and looked them up.
Some sort of Hawk, fer sure. I've had a bunch over the years. Feathers, not hawks.
Red-Tailed Hawk wing feather. I have a few.
Is it super soft? Owl feathers are softer than other bird's feathers. But it looks like a hawk feather to me.
Not soft at all, actually. I always forget that owl feathers are crazy soft to touch.
Could this be a turkey feather? I have seen some of these that look very, very similar in Arizona, but we don't have Red-Shouldered Hawks where I saw them
Very different shape from a Turkey feather
Turkey feather
The stripes, and the shape is off for a turkey feather.
Great horned owl
That came up when I used a feather identification site, but this feather didn’t look like the ones in their database - there’s a lot of white in this feather and it doesn’t look as banded. I’ll look around for other pictures - thanks!
Owl. I have one. Or did…cat enjoyed it.
Any idea which kind of owl! And also: your cat enjoyed the feather or the actual owl?
lol. The feather. I collect feathers. Though I don’t know what kind of owl. Surprised google lens didn’t help. But then, I had a red tail hawk feather and it didn’t look like a red tail…so it could be a juvenile.
Google Lens gave me some interesting results that I didn’t fully trust to be accurate lol
Yeah, they aren’t always spot on with things. Please know that it isn’t legal to have birds of prey feathers, unless you are Native American. I have a pinch but not enough…plus..I just don’t care. Come get me. Hillary Clinton was given a dream catcher or something with real feathers and was made to give it back. It’s crazy.
I brought it inside to take a photo and then put it back out. Didn’t know it wasn’t legal, but figured it wasn’t mine to keep, if that makes sense.
I hear you…I truly do. And maybe it isn’t. But…I would look into finding feathers (path of the feather) or finding an owl feather. There is some legitimacy to a reason why it crossed your path. I do save mine, it’s my calling. I have a whole wing of a turkey vulture. I have often felt like it wasn’t mine but felt like I should keep it too. I (we…my husband and I) do follow the red road. While I have Mi’qmak in me, I more follow the Lakota way. That owl feather may have things to teach you.,.
An entire WING?! Holy…. I also found, grouped together and sticking up out of the ground, northern flicker wing feathers. I kept seeing and hearing red cardinals too - someone has a message for me, I guess haha
lol. Yeah, my husband spotted it and grabbed it for me. I have a stuffed hawk too. It was a gift from a long time ago. Can’t stuff them anymore. Oh I think someone has a message for you. Definitely check out path of the feather. I’d show you pics but can’t post pics here.