Red-tailed Hawk

This feather represents the classic 'Eastern' or 'Borealis' morph of the Red-tailed Hawk. The bird itself is a large, bulky raptor with a 4-foot wingspan, known for its iconic rufous-red upper tail in adults and its high-pitched, screaming 'kee-ee-ar' call used in Hollywood movies.

Distinctive 'marbled' or 'banded' pattern. The outer web is dark chocolate brown. The inner web is creamy white with bold, dark brown transverse bars that do not fully reach the rachis. The tip is solid dark brown.

The distal portion is pennaceous with tightly interlocked barbs for flight stability, while the proximal base (near the calamus) features loose, plumulaceous barbs for insulation. Barbules are intact with minimal fraying.

The surface is smooth and stiff to the touch with a slight matte finish. The dorsal side is more richly colored, while the ventral side (underneath) appears more silvery and dull.

White inner vane with dark, incomplete banding; thick white rachis; broad secondary shape; chocolate brown distal tip.

Extremely versatile: found in open woodlands, agricultural fields, prairies, deserts, and increasingly in urban and suburban parklands.

Year-round resident across most of North America, from central Alaska and Canada down through Mexico and Central America. Northernmost populations are migratory.

Apex predator. Plays a vital role in controlling rodent and rabbit populations. They are ecological indicators of habitat health in fragmented landscapes.

Red-shouldered Hawk (smaller, more frequent/regular banding), Broad-winged Hawk (fewer, thicker bands), or Red-tailed Hawk 'Harlan's' morph (more mottled/grayish).

The 'scream' of the Red-tailed Hawk is so impressive that it is almost always used as the sound effect for Bald Eagles in television and film, as real eagles have much chirpier, weaker calls.

Excellent condition. The edges are crisp with no obvious 'fault bars' (stress lines) or parasitic holes. It appears to be a naturally molted feather rather than one lost to trauma.