Feathers! Are these owls?

[MaddingtonBear]

Hello! I'm an art student collecting feathers as research for a summer project I'm working on. My mum has been helpful identifying feathers but only up to an extent so I thought I'd come to the pros!

It's not essential I get the species the feather came from, more curiosity and perhaps ease of organising the project.

I live up on the Moray Firth but I got some feathers from a reputable game keeper down in Strathspey. I got a lot of eagle owl feathers from the Kincraig Wildlife park from around their enclosure as they are in moult. I am most interested in whether the barn owl feathers I have found are actually barn owl feathers!

Here are some photos:








Also what is the law regarding keeping feathers? I read some worrying things about fines but they were scenarios in America about eagles mainly. I have no eagle feathers (although I would like one..!) so am I in the clear?

I'm terribly excited to see what comes of this post and looking forward to all your help! Sorry if I'm a bit green!

[valleyforge]

Hi MB, and welcome to the forum ...

... 'a reputable game keeper' ... so what's that then?

I can't help you on a positive ID for your owl feathers, but they look possible I suppose.

All the best with your project.

[MaddingtonBear]

Well he's not actually a game keeper anymore but a "sporting manager" for Reidhaven estate so I know the feathers weren't sourced wrongfully. (:

I'm pretty sure they are owl, the areas I collected them were exactly the sort of places they'd hang out but unfortunately are shared generally with pigeons... A couple have a sort of down on one side much like the eagle owl feathers I collected, presumably for silence, so I am guessing they are barn owl...

Thanks!

[Jonners]

Bottom one in the middle looks like Barn Owl, but I'm not sure about the rest - you might even have a pheasant one sneaked in there.

[FUDGEY]

The one 2nd from left of pen in middle pic is 100% barn owl.

[FUDGEY]

I would guess the top pic is mostly pheasant. I have seen bottom ones before but can't think what they are. I think they look like sparrowhawk, but they could be decieving & be a wader such as a curlew. That's a vague answer :-)

[MaddingtonBear]

I'm pretty sure the bottom ones are a kestrel as I found them around it's nest but rightfully there was a curlew nesting nearby as well. The one on the right in the pic is all scuffed at the top which I presumed was from hurling itself at heather constantly.

&Jonners I wasn't sure about the one that looked a bit like a pheasants, I thought it was too pale but maybe not!