Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern subspecies)

This feather is a signature adult tail feather of the Red-tailed Hawk. The bird itself is a large raptor with broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail. Adults are famous for the brick-red tail that gives them their name, while their chests are typically white with a dark 'belly band' of streaks.

Distinctive rufous-red or cinnamon-brown on the dorsal side with a thin, dark subterminal band near the tip. The ventral side is paler, almost pinkish-tan. The rachis is light-colored.

Strongly interlocked (pennaceous) barbs for flight stability; plumulaceous (downy) at the very base of the calamus.

Stiff, smooth, and somewhat glossy texture; engineered for durability and wind resistance during soaring.

Solid rufous-red color without heavy barring, large size, and sturdy rachis.

Highly adaptable; found in open woodlands, agricultural fields, parks, and highway medians in Clearwater, Florida.

Resident across North America from Alaska to Central America; Florida birds are typically year-round residents.

Apex predator; controls populations of rodents, rabbits, and reptiles. Acts as an important indicator of ecosystem health.

Red-shouldered Hawk (feathers are smaller with heavy black and white banding) or Crested Caracara (different shape and tip coloration).

The screech of a Red-tailed Hawk is so iconic and 'wild' that Hollywood almost always uses its recording for any eagle or hawk shown on screen, regardless of the actual species.

Fair to Good; shows signs of natural wear and 'splitting' along the trailing edge, likely a naturally molted feather.

Clearwater Florida