Red-tailed Hawk
Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Aves; Order: Accipitriformes; Family: Accipitridae; Genus: Buteo; Species: Buteo jamaicensis · Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Allies) · Primary flight feather (Remiges), likely P7 or P8
Species
Buteo jamaicensis
Feather Type
Primary flight feather (Remiges), likely P7 or P8
Family
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Allies)
Shape
Asymmetrical vane with a distinctively narrow leading edge and broad trailing edge; features a long, tapered tip with slight emargination (notching) on the outer web.
Size
Estimated 10 to 12 inches (25-30 cm) in length, which is characteristic for an outer primary of a medium-to-large Buteo species.
Rarity
Common; it is one of the most widespread and frequently observed raptors in North America.
Color & Pattern
Base color of dark chocolate brown on the distal half and leading edge, graduating into a series of bold, cream-to-whitish transverse bands on the inner web. The bands are somewhat irregular and mottled with darker brown specks toward the rachis.
Barb Structure
Densely packed pennisetous barbs providing a rigid, aerodynamic surface; the lower portion toward the calamus features softer plumulaceous barbs for insulation.
Texture & Surface
Smooth, stiff, and somewhat glossy on the dorsal surface; the vane is highly rigid to withstand wind pressure, while the ventral side is matte with a silky feel.
Description
This feather belongs to the Red-tailed Hawk, a large raptor known for its broad, rounded wings and iconic cinnamon-red tail (in adults). Immature birds, however, have brown, banded tails. The feather shown is an outer primary, essential for the bird's steady soaring and powerful wingbeats. As a 'buteo', these hawks are often seen circling over open fields or perched on telephone poles waiting for small mammal prey.
Key Features
Bold white-and-brown banding on the inner web, high degree of vane asymmetry, and the pale, robust rachis. The specific mottling within the white bands is a classic diagnostic for Buteo jamaicensis.
Habitat
Extremely versatile, found in open woodlands, grasslands, agricultural fields, mountain ranges, and increasingly in urban parks and highway corridors.
Geographic Range
Range extends from central Alaska and northern Canada throughout the United States and Mexico, reaching as far south as Panama and the West Indies.
Condition Notes
Fair to Good. There is some minor separation of the barbs along the leading edge (zipper-like structure unhooked) and slight fraying at the tip, suggesting it may be a molted feather from a bird that has seen a full season of flight.
Interesting Facts
The 'scream' of the Red-tailed Hawk is so iconic and fierce that it is almost always used in Hollywood movies to represent any eagle or hawk, including the Bald Eagle, whose actual call is much higher-pitched and chirpy.
Ecological Role
Apex predator primarily feeding on rodents, rabbits, and reptiles; they play a crucial role in controlling small mammal populations and serve as indicators of environmental health.
Similar Species
Red-shouldered Hawk (smaller, with more even black-and-white banding), Ferruginous Hawk (typically paler with more translucent 'windows' in the wing), and Cooper's Hawk (shorter, more rounded wing feathers).