Red-tailed Hawk (Red-tail)

The Red-tailed Hawk is a large, powerful raptor with broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail. Adults typically feature a rich brick-red tail, while juveniles have finely banded brown tails. They soar in wide circles while hunting and are the most common large hawk across North America.

Characterized by bold, alternating dark brown and pale cream or buff horizontal bands (barring) across a lighter background, with a prominent dark brown tip

Pennaceous vane with tightly interlocked barbs near the tip, becoming somewhat loose or separated due to wear; afterfeather is small or absent as typical in raptor flight feathers

Stiff, firm, and resilient vane with a smooth, matte finish designed for aerodynamic efficiency

Bold dark brown and buff transverse barring pattern with a distinct rounded tip and sturdy shaft, typical of Buteo secondary flight feathers

Extremely adaptable, inhabiting deserts, scrublands, urban areas, agricultural fields, grasslands, deciduous and coniferous forests, and tropical rainforests

Widely distributed throughout North America, ranging from Alaska and northern Canada down through the United States, Mexico, and Central America into the Caribbean

Apex avian predator playing a crucial role in controlling rodent and small mammal populations, acting as an important ecological indicator of environmental health

Swainson's Hawk and Ferruginous Hawk, which can be distinguished by specific differences in barring width, background coloration, and geographic overlap

Red-tailed Hawks have phenomenal eyesight, capable of spotting a mouse from a distance of 100 feet in the air. Their iconic scream is frequently used in Hollywood films to sound like any wild eagle or hawk

Fair condition; showing noticeable separation of barbs along the edges and minor wear toward the base, likely representing a naturally molted feather exposed to weather for a brief period