Red-shouldered Hawk

This is a distinctive tail feather from an adult Red-shouldered Hawk. The bird itself is a medium-sized raptor with a 'reachy' silhouette, featuring a reddish-chestnut breast and shoulders. In flight, they show translucent 'windows' near the wingtips. Their call is a piercing, repeated 'kee-aah,' often mimicked by Blue Jays.

Strongly contrasting alternating bands of dark brownish-black and crisp white. The white bands are narrower than the dark bands. A thin white terminal band is visible at the very tip, which is a classic marking for this species.

Tightly interlocked pennaceous barbs throughout most of the vane, providing the structural integrity needed for flight and steering. The base shows minor plumulaceous (downy) barbs near the calamus.

Smooth, stiff, and somewhat glossy on the dorsal surface. The feather feels firm to the touch, designed to withstand the air pressure of soaring and maneuvering.

Bold, narrow white bands on a dark background and a thin white tip. Unlike the Red-tailed Hawk's rufous tail, this feather shows high-contrast black and white stripes.

Found in deciduous or mixed woodlands, often near water sources like rivers, swamps, or marshes. They prefer areas with a dense canopy and open subcanopy for hunting.

Common throughout the Eastern United States, along the California coast, and into Northern Mexico. Eastern populations are partially migratory, while California populations are mostly resident.

They are top tier predators in forest ecosystems, controlling populations of small mammals, reptiles (especially snakes), and amphibians.

Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) feathers are similar but have broader white bands that are roughly equal in width to the dark bands. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) feathers are usually cinnamon-red or brownish with finer barring.

Red-shouldered Hawks are very vocal and territorial. They are known to return to the same nesting territory year after year, sometimes for decades.

Good to Excellent condition. The edges show very minor wear, suggesting it was likely molted naturally rather than damaged through trauma. No evidence of feather lice or fault bars.