Red-tailed Hawk (Buzzard, Chickenhawk)

The Red-tailed Hawk is a large, bulky raptor with a broad wingspan (up to 4 feet). Adults are famous for their brick-red tails, while juveniles have brown-banded tails. They are often seen soaring in slow circles or perched on telephone poles scanning for rodents. Their signature scream—a descending 'kree-eee-ar'—is the classic 'eagle' sound used in cinema.

Strongly banded with 4-5 dark chocolate-brown transverse bars against a creamy white to pale buff background. The dark bands are slightly wavy. The distal (tip) band is thickest. There is a faint cinnamon-warmth appearing on some barbs, typical of the 'red' tones developing in older immatures or adults.

Densely pennaceous across most of the vane for flight stability, transitioning to a soft, plumulaceous (downy) structure at the base near the calamus. The barbs are tightly interlocked by hooklets.

Smooth and firm on the pennaceous vane, with a somewhat matte finish on the dark bands and a satin-like sheen on the white sections. The leading edge (outer vane) is stiffer than the trailing edge.

Distinctive dark brown banding on a clean white/cream base, the specific count of bands, and the sturdy, relatively broad secondary shape.

Extremely versatile: found in open grasslands, agricultural fields, broken woodlands, urban parks, and highway medians with suitable perches.

Ubiquitous across North America, from central Alaska and Canada southward through Mexico and Central America. Most populations are year-round residents, though northern birds migrate south.

Apex predator; primarily controls rodent populations (voles, mice, rats) but also eats snakes and small birds. They occupy a critical position at the top of the food chain.

Red-shouldered Hawk (feathers are usually narrower with more frequent, sharper black-and-white bands) and Broad-winged Hawk (smaller with fewer, thicker bands).

The Red-tailed Hawk's scream is so iconic that Hollywood almost always replaces the high-pitched chirps of the Bald Eagle with the Red-tail's fierce-sounding cry in movies.

Excellent condition. The edges of the vanes are crisp with very little fraying or environmental wear, suggesting a relatively recent molt.