Red-tailed Hawk

A classic raptor feather showing the barred pattern characteristic of immature or light-morph individuals. The bird itself is a large, bulky hawk with broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail.

Pale greyish-white base with distinct dark brown or 'earth-toned' transverse banding (bars). The tip is darkened with a subterminal band.

Tightly interlocked pennaceous barbs throughout the distal portion, becoming plumulaceous (fluffy) at the base near the calamus

Smooth, stiff, and matte; the leading edge (vane) is slightly narrower and stiffer than the trailing edge to provide lift and stability

Distinctive brown-on-white banding, heavy rachis, and the specialized 'flight' asymmetry of the vanes

Extremely versatile; found in open woodlands, fields, prairies, deserts, and increasingly in urban parks and highway corridors

Common year-round resident across most of North America, from Alaska and Canada south to Panama and the West Indies

Apex predator primarily feeding on rodents and small mammals, serving as a critical control for pest populations

Red-shouldered Hawk feathers (usually show narrower, more numerous bars) and Cooper's Hawk (more elongated, different barring texture)

The 'scream' you hear in movies representing any eagle or hawk is almost always actually the call of a Red-tailed Hawk.

Excellent condition; likely a freshly molted feather. The edges are crisp with minimal fraying or 'fault bars' from nutritional stress.