
Red-tailed Hawk (also known as the chicken hawk or red hawk)
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Aves, Order: Accipitriformes, Family: Accipitridae, Genus: Buteo, Species: Buteo jamaicensis
Family: Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- Shape
- Symmetrical vane with a gently rounded tip, showing a broad outline typical of a soaring raptor's wing feather.
- Size
- Estimated around 8 to 10 inches long, consistent with a medium-to-large secondary flight feather for this species.
- Rarity
- Very Common
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Description
The Red-tailed Hawk is a robust, powerful raptor with broad wings and a short, wide tail. Adults typically feature a rich reddish-brown upper tail which gives the species its name. They are exceptional soarers, frequently observed wheeling in circles over open fields.
Colour & Pattern
Muted grayish-brown to dark brown tones with subtle, indistinct darker transverse barring along the vane and a prominent pale, whitish-tan rachis.
Barb Structure
Strongly pennaceous through the upper vane creating a cohesive, wind-resistant surface, transitioning to slightly looser, plumulaceous barbs near the base of the rachis.
Texture & Surface
Stiff, smooth, and resilient with a matte finish, designed to withstand high aerodynamic pressure during flight.
Key Features
Stout whitish-tan rachis contrasting with muted brown vanes, featuring faint darker barring and a rounded secondary flight feather profile.
Habitat
Extremely adaptable, found in open country, woodlands, deserts, urban areas, agricultural fields, and along roadsides.
Geographic Range
Widespread throughout North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada down through the United States, Mexico, and into parts of Central America and the Caribbean.
Ecological Role
Acts as an apex avian predator helping to regulate rodent and small mammal populations, serving as a key indicator of ecosystem health.
Similar Species
Swainson's Hawk and Rough-legged Hawk, which can be distinguished by specific differences in barring density, size, and rachis coloration.
Interesting Facts
Red-tailed Hawks have incredible eyesight capable of spotting a mouse from a height of 100 feet, and their piercing screech is frequently used in Hollywood films to represent the call of any soaring raptor.
Condition Notes
Good condition, with intact barbs and minimal fraying near the base, showing slight normal wear along the vane edges.