Red-tailed Hawk (Red-tail)

The Red-tailed Hawk is a large, powerful raptor with broad rounded wings and a short, wide tail. Adults typically feature a rich rust-red tail that contrasts with a pale breast and streaked belly band. They are masters of the thermal, often seen soaring lazily in wide circles while emitting a harsh, rasping scream.

Distinctive alternating dark brown and pale greyish-white bands across the feather, typical of the dorsal or ventral surface of a Red-tailed Hawk secondary flight feather with melanin-based pigmentation.

Pennaceous vane with tightly interlocked barbs and functional barbicels creating a smooth, wind-resistant surface. No significant fraying.

Stiff, smooth, and matte finish with a rigid vane capable of withstanding high aerodynamic pressure during soaring flight.

Bold dark brown transverse barring against a pale or mottled grey-white background on a broad, rounded secondary flight feather.

Found in a remarkably diverse array of habitats including deserts, scrublands, urban areas, agricultural fields, deciduous and coniferous forests, and high-altitude grasslands.

Widespread throughout North America, ranging from Alaska and northern Canada down through Central America and the Caribbean.

Acts as a top avian predator helping to regulate small mammal populations such as voles, mice, rabbits, and squirrels, serving as a key indicator of ecosystem health.

Swainson's Hawk and Ferruginous Hawk, which can be distinguished by subtle differences in bar spacing, coloration hues, and regional distribution.

The Red-tailed Hawk's iconic screaming cry is so dramatic and evocative of wildness that Hollywood sound designers routinely use it as a universal vocal stand-in for any raptor in movies, even bald eagles.

Good condition with intact barbs, clean rachis, and no visible fault bars or parasitic damage.