Feather id ? Speckled wispy feather, location near Alabama US (1 Viewer)

[buckdeerhunter]

Found this feather in a small field and was wondering what it could be. Some edges are very wispy (not frayed but naturally wispy), and it has black and white speckling throughout the feather.
It is about 12-13 inches in length.

P.s I left it where it layed.

 

[buckdeerhunter]

Edit : Found out from another forum that it's a young/light colored barn owl feather. Leaving this post and edit up in case anyone else has a similar feather.

 

[Butty]

Barn owl flight-feather was my first thought, but as far as I can see that should be strongly barred. I would also expect it to be smaller (I think it is in any case substantially smaller than 12-13” - unless grass and greater plantain are unusually big there - wherever 'near Alabama' is).

 

[tom baxter]

The color reminds me of Great Horned Owl but that’s about as far as I can go.

 

[nartreb]

It does look a lot like a barn owl feather - the general shape, color, speckling, and I think I can see the fuzzy edges characteristic of owl feathers. But I hesitated to comment because it doesn't show the slightest hint of barring. Barn owls are fairly variable in color, but you'd expect some barring on the primaries, secondaries, and tail. Their smaller feathers (e.g. coverts) show no barring, but by my estimate, based on plantain and crabgrass, the OP's measurements can't be that dramatically wrong. I'd say the feather in the photo is at least ten inches long.

Check the rightmost feather here:

https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/images/feathers/BNOW_wing_ad_female.jpg

I'm not happy with all the details (shape, shading, pattern of speckling are all slightly different) but it's a better match than anything else I can find.

 

[Cicada]

It might just be an Indian Peafowl wing feather. I have one (14 inches) for craft use that has some similarities and you can get the general idea from this pic from the Gallery: Indian peafowl. Maybe abrasion rather than a feather designed for silent flying?

 

[KC Foggin]

It sure is one big beautiful feather!

 

[buckdeerhunter]

It might just be an Indian Peafowl wing feather. I have one (14 inches) for craft use that has some similarities and you can get the general idea from this pic from the Gallery: Indian peafowl. Maybe abrasion rather than a feather designed for silent flying?
View attachment 1518335

I would say you are correct but there is nobody near me. And definitely nobody near me that has peafowls. I actually have a peafowl feather from back when I used to have them (10+ years ago) and it feels totally different than the feather I found. The feather I found feels very VERY soft and the peafowl feather feels sorta stiff and doesn't part vanes real easy. (P.s my peafowl feather looks the same as yours but smaller)

Thank you so much for your comment though ! Always love to learn more !! You all are all so helpful !

 

[buckdeerhunter]

Barn owl flight-feather was my first thought, but as far as I can see that should be strongly barred. I would also expect it to be smaller (I think it is in any case substantially smaller than 12-13” - unless grass and greater plantain are unusually big there - wherever 'near Alabama' is).

I measured it with a flexible tape measure so the inches are correct. I would normally expect it to be smaller too... and barred. Also sorry, but I didn't want to give out my actual state or location due to fear of doxxing. But, yall seem trustworthy. Actual state is Middle Tennessee.

 

[buckdeerhunter]

It does look a lot like a barn owl feather - the general shape, color, speckling, and I think I can see the fuzzy edges characteristic of owl feathers. But I hesitated to comment because it doesn't show the slightest hint of barring. Barn owls are fairly variable in color, but you'd expect some barring on the primaries, secondaries, and tail. Their smaller feathers (e.g. coverts) show no barring, but by my estimate, based on plantain and crabgrass, the OP's measurements can't be that dramatically wrong. I'd say the feather in the photo is at least ten inches long.

Check the rightmost feather here:

https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/images/feathers/BNOW_wing_ad_female.jpg

I'm not happy with all the details (shape, shading, pattern of speckling are all slightly different) but it's a better match than anything else I can find.

It 100% has very fuzzy edges. The pic doesn't do the edges justice lol. It also is super soft, almost like rabbit fur if that makes sense. Hmm, maybe it's just a weird colored owl ?
The other comment about the peahen feather matched too but there's nobody around me that has them So idk 🤷‍♀️
It seems like an Owl of some sort is the best guess.

Edit : also this Feather was found near a very active rabbit burrow. Forgot to mention that. I see rabbits everytime I go out there. And lots of white small down feathers there

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

I am fairly sure this is a rather worn feather ( fuzzy edges -and occasionally also softness-can be signs of wear) of a galliform bird and closest fit so far is Indian Peafowl with this peachy ground color and the small dark spotting and the size.

There is no North American owl showing a feather with a combination of this color / pattern and size.
Indian peafowl on the other hand is commonly kept , and there are also several color mutations being bred.

https://m.facebook.com/peafowlbreeding/

Peafowl Photo, Peafowl pictures- Rocking B-A-B Ranch

PEAFOWL PICTURES, PEAFOWL PHOTOS, GREEN PEAFOWL, SPALDING PIED PEAFOWL, PEACH PEAFOWL, BRONZE PEAFOWL, WHITE PEAFOWL, PEACOCK PHOTOS, PEACOCK PICTURES

www.rockingbabranch.com

 

[buckdeerhunter]

I am fairly sure this is a rather worn feather ( fuzzy edges -and occasionally also softness-can be signs of wear) of a galliform bird and closest fit so far is Indian Peafowl with this peachy ground color and the small dark spotting and the size.

There is no North American owl showing a feather with a combination of this color / pattern and size.
Indian peafowl on the other hand is commonly kept , and there are also several color mutations being bred.

https://m.facebook.com/peafowlbreeding/

Peafowl Photo, Peafowl pictures- Rocking B-A-B Ranch

PEAFOWL PICTURES, PEAFOWL PHOTOS, GREEN PEAFOWL, SPALDING PIED PEAFOWL, PEACH PEAFOWL, BRONZE PEAFOWL, WHITE PEAFOWL, PEACOCK PHOTOS, PEACOCK PICTURES

www.rockingbabranch.com

Definitely could be. The colors match up really well but not so much the general shape. Like you said, it's point may have worn off though.

Nobody has peafowl near me (I know all of my neighbors well since this is a very rural heavily wooded area) though.
Are peafowl prone to escaping and traveling 5+ miles ?

Would be cool if it was though ! I've always loved peacocks.
Thank you for all your advice and pictures !

Seems like the Owl People and the Peacock People are head to head on this mystery feather LOL