Red-tailed Hawk (also known as the chicken hawk or redtail)
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Aves, Order: Accipitriformes, Family: Accipitridae, Genus: Buteo, Species: B. jamaicensis
Family: Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- Shape
- Symmetrical vane with a rounded tip, broad outline, and soft plumulaceous base
- Size
- Approximately 5 to 6 inches long, consistent with a large body contour feather or scapular from a medium-to-large raptor
- Rarity
- Common (regularly encountered across its vast North American range)
Found a feather like this?
Identify any feather from a photo, free.
Description
The Red-tailed Hawk is a quintessential North American raptor recognized by its broad wings and distinctive rusty-red tail in adults. It is a formidable hunter of small mammals, soaring effortlessly on thermal updrafts with a heavy, powerful flight style and a characteristic raspy, descending scream
Colour & Pattern
Rich earthy brown tones accented by bold white barring and clean white chevron patterns toward the base and edges, featuring a strong central rachis that transitions from dark brown at the tip to pure white at the base
Barb Structure
Pennaceous upper vane with tightly interlocked barbs and barbicels, transitioning into a loose, plumulaceous downy base with afterfeather structure; barbs are generally intact and healthy
Texture & Surface
Stiff and smooth pennaceous vane at the tip providing aerodynamic shielding, transitioning to a soft, silky, and insulating texture at the base
Key Features
Distinctive alternation of rich brown and bright white transverse bands, rounded tip, robust central shaft shifting from dark to white, and fluffy downy base
Habitat
Extremely adaptable, inhabiting deserts, scrublands, urban areas, scrub, grasslands, agricultural fields, and coniferous or deciduous forests
Geographic Range
Widely distributed throughout the Americas, breeding from interior Alaska and northern Canada down to Panama and the West Indies
Ecological Role
Acts as a top avian apex predator, playing a crucial role in controlling populations of rodents, rabbits, and other small mammals, serving as a primary ecological indicator of grassland and woodland health
Similar Species
Rough-legged Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, and Swainson's Hawk; distinguished by specific barring patterns, coloration depth, and relative size
Interesting Facts
Red-tailed Hawks have phenomenal eyesight, capable of spotting a mouse from a height of 100 feet. Their iconic screech is frequently used in Hollywood films to represent any soaring hawk or eagle, even when the scene depicts a different bird
Condition Notes
Good to Excellent condition; fresh appearance with minimal wear, intact barbs, and no visible fault bars or parasitic damage