Red-tailed Hawk (Red-tail)

The Red-tailed Hawk is a powerful and adaptable raptor with broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail. Adults typically feature a brick-red tail, while juveniles have brown, banded tails. They are iconic soaring hunters, frequently seen perched along highways or circling gracefully in thermals.

Rich chocolate brown base with distinct white and tawny barring and scalloping along the edges, typical of immature or morph-variable Red-tailed Hawk plumage

Pennaceous vane distally with a distinct plumulaceous basal tuft, barbs are tightly interlocked with hooklets, intact and healthy condition

Smooth, firm, and matte texture with rigid pennaceous vanes and soft downy barbs at the proximal base

Rich brown coloration combined with crisp white and buff barring or spotting on a broad, rounded body feather structure

Adapts to a wide range of habitats including deserts, scrublands, coniferous and deciduous forests, urban areas, and agricultural fields

Widespread throughout North America, ranging from western Alaska and Canada down through the United States to Central America and the Caribbean

Acts as a top avian predator, playing a crucial role in controlling rodent and small mammal populations to maintain ecosystem balance

Other large North American Buteos such as the Ferruginous Hawk or Swainson's Hawk, distinguishable by specific barring patterns, coloration, and size

Red-tailed Hawks have exceptional vision, estimated to be eight times sharper than human vision, allowing them to spot small rodents from hundreds of feet in the air

Good condition, showing minor natural wear at the tip but retaining structural integrity with no major breakage or parasitic damage