Red-tailed Hawk, also known as Hen-hawk or Buzzard-hawk
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Aves, Order: Accipitriformes, Family: Accipitridae, Genus: Buteo, Species: Buteo jamaicensis · Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) · Flight feather (Secondary remex)
Species
Buteo jamaicensis (Estimated 95% confidence based on size and banding)
Feather Type
Flight feather (Secondary remex)
Family
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
Shape
Broad, elongated, and slightly asymmetrical with a rounded tip and minor emargination on the outer vane.
Size
Estimated 8-10 inches in length. This is consistent with a secondary flight feather from an adult Red-tailed Hawk, which typically range from 7 to 11 inches.
Rarity
Very Common; it is the most widespread and frequently seen hawk in North America.
Color & Pattern
Earth-tone brown base with distinct dark brown subterminal banding. The underside (ventral) is paler and more cream-colored, while the dorsal side shows richer pigment and more defined horizontal bars.
Barb Structure
Primarily pennaceous with a stiff, interlocking structure for flight efficiency; the base exhibits plumulaceous (downy) barbs for insulation. No specialized sound-dampening structures are present, unlike owl feathers.
Texture & Surface
Stiff and smooth with a slight oily sheen for water repellency. The surface is matte rather than glossy, designed to withstand high-velocity air pressure during soaring.
Description
This feather belongs to a large, robust raptor characterized by broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail. Adults are famous for their brick-red tails, while immatures possess brown banded tails. They are often seen soaring in wide circles or perched on telephone poles scanning for small mammals.
Key Features
Broad width-to-length ratio, distinctive dark horizontal banding on a lighter greyish-brown background, and a rigid, thick central rachis typical of a large Buteo.
Habitat
Extremely versatile, found in open grasslands, agricultural fields, broken woodlands, deserts, and urban areas with high perches.
Geographic Range
Resident throughout North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada south into Central America and the West Indies. Northern populations are migratory.
Condition Notes
Good to Fair; shows some fraying at the edges and separation of the barbs (splits) near the tip, suggesting it was molted after significant use or gathered after exposure to the elements.
Interesting Facts
Red-tailed Hawks are highly territorial and have a raspy, screaming call (kree-eee-ar) that is almost always used in Hollywood movies to represent any eagle or hawk.
Ecological Role
Apex predator specializing in rodent control. They play a vital role in maintaining the balance of small mammal populations and serve as an indicator of ecosystem health.
Similar Species
Red-shouldered Hawk (smaller, more white-and-black contrast), Cooper's Hawk (shorter, more rounded with different banding spacing), and Great Horned Owl (softer texture with 'fringed' edges).