Snowy Owl feathers

When in South Dakota last week looking for Snowy Owls I found a patch of owl feathers on the ground. They were breast feathers, three or four dozen in a rough circle. A Snowy Owl had been attacked by a predator, I assume, and either knicked and escaped or grabbed and carried off. This feather shows the black that forms the barred pattern on the breast of immature Snowies. This feather is 2.5 inches long from base to tip. We're looking at a ¾-inch portion here. I wanted to show how the feather vanes become downy as they near the end of the quill. The down traps air from the owl's body, keeping the bird warm.