Red-tailed Hawk

This feather comes from the iconic Red-tailed Hawk, a large raptor known for its broad, rounded wings and signature brick-red tail in adults. The bird itself has a dark brown back and a pale underside with a mottled 'belly band' of streaks. Adults have the namesake tail, while juveniles have brown-banded tails.

Bicolor pattern; the lower two-thirds are a soft, downy white/creamy-gray, while the distal tip is a rich, ferruginous (rust-red) or rufous brown. No distinct banding is present on this specific feather.

Transitioning from plumulaceous (downy and loose) at the proximal base to pennaceous (firm and interlocked) at the rufous-colored tip.

The base is extremely soft and silky (plumulaceous), while the reddish tip is smooth and slightly more rigid (pennaceous), though still soft compared to a flight feather.

The distinctive rufous-red pigment on the tip of a white downy base is a classic diagnostic feature of the body plumage found on adult Red-tailed Hawks.

Highly adaptable; found in open woodlands, agricultural fields, parks, and suburban areas where perches and open hunting ground are available.

Year-round resident across North America, including Ohio. Northernmost populations in Canada and Alaska migrate south for winter.

Top-tier predator; controls populations of small mammals (voles, mice, rabbits) and reptiles. Their presence is an indicator of a healthy rodent-prey base in the environment.

Red-shouldered Hawk feathers (usually show more distinct white/dark banding) and American Kestrel (much smaller with different spotting patterns).

The voice of a Red-tailed Hawk—a piercing, raspy scream—is almost always used in movies and TV as the sound for any eagle or hawk, regardless of the species shown.

Good condition. The barbs are mostly intact at the tip, though the downy base shows some natural separation (ruffling) indicative of a naturally molted feather found on the ground.

Columbus Ohio