Owl

 is a nocturnal bird found in Red Dead Redemption.

Description
Even though they are quite large birds, owls can be extremely hard to see, due to their choice of habitat and feeding times. They only appear at night, and normally choose tall trees to make their nests in and rest. However, they will come to the ground at times, which makes them easier to spot, but will flee at the first sign of trouble. Once they have fled, it will be extremely difficult to find them again. This makes them one of the more challenging animals to hunt. Owl Feathers can be gathered as part of the Deadalus and Son stranger mission. Owls can be killed for the Sharpshooter Challenge Level 1.

Location
They are commonly found between McFarlene's Ranch and Warthington Farm. They can also be found in Chuparosa, next to the Beecher's Hope ranch, in Tall Trees, and sometimes they are found in Silent Stead in New Austin. But make sure you go at night because they are nocturnal creatures.

Hunting Tips
As noted above, they are very difficult to see, so you have to listen for their distinctive "hoo" or "kwit" depending on whether it's male or female. Then, track the sound silently, until the owl appears, or until it lands and you will get a clear shot. Don't use a Buffalo Rifle when up close. It has been known to make the owl explode. When owls land, they keep very still, and only move very slowly. They also keep silent, tracking a call and it's suddenly stopped, chances are it's on the ground. Be careful not to mistake them for tufts of grass if out in the Great Plains. One way to up the chances is to wait until dawn breaks, when owls will still be feeding for a short period of time, and search them. This will increase the chance of seeing them. Be careful not to mistake owls with other birds while hunting. Owls can be hard to see during the night so be ready if you see one or hear one near you. If you hear a "hoo" or "kwit" firing your gun into the air usually make's them fly off in fright meaning you will see the Owl (and possibly more) so you can get a clean shot in Dead-Eye.

Achievements
The player must kill an owl to successfully complete the following achievement: