Barred owls have striking plumage, designed for camouflage and silent flight. Their soft, lightweight feathers feature bold, alternating bars of brown, beige, and white. When identifying their wing feathers, look for wide bars and long, tapered shapes with slightly frayed edges for quiet movement.
Their round face is surrounded by soft, lighter feathers that make a heart-shaped facial disk. Juvenile owls have fuzzier, less defined facial feathers than adults.
With these key features—barred wings, soft texture, and distinctive facial disk—it’s easy to spot barred owl feathers and appreciate these incredible birds.
Spotting Barred Owl Wing Feathers
The barred owl identity is roughly determined by their wings. If you somehow come across a feather and want to confirm its authenticity to belong to this owl, watch for the following details:
• Barred Pattern: The main identification feature of a wing feather belonging to the barred owl is the bars, the alternating dark and light bands. Such bars are much more prominent and wider than in many other owl species’ feathers.
• Size and Shape: The main wing feathers are long and tapering, but they’re also wide in proportion. This helps them fly silently through dense woods. The edges of the feathers might look a little frayed, which also contributes to their quiet flight.
• Color: The top side of the wing feathers is a deep brown with hints of beige, while the underside is lighter, ranging from cream to light gray.
Tail Feathers: A Subtle Clue
The tail feathers are another good place to start, and even though they aren’t as big as the wing feathers, they’re a pretty good indicator of what the bird is:
Striped Pattern: Similar to the wings, the tail feathers have strong dark and light bands running across them. Alternating stripes on the tail feathers are narrower and more uniform than those on the wing bars but still easily identifiable.
Length and Shape: Barred owls have relatively short tails with rounded tips. This shape, added to the striped pattern, makes it an easy feature to identify when you find a feather.
We recommend these YouTube videos to help you learn more about barred owl feather identification and their fascinating features.