Likely Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis); exact species uncertain

This is a sleek dark raptor flight feather, most consistent with a Red-tailed Hawk but not diagnostic from the photograph alone. Adults are large, broad-winged hawks with a characteristic reddish tail, dark patagial marks, and a descending scream.

Dark charcoal-brown to blackish upper surface with subtle pale edging and a lighter gray-brown shaft; no clear barring is visible. Lighting and wear prevent certain species-level identification.

Tightly interlocking pennaceous barbs with intact hooklets; relatively stiff and aerodynamic, with slight fraying along portions of the edge.

Straight, robust pale rachis; dense barbs angle backward from the shaft and become shorter toward the pointed tip.

Smooth, firm, matte-to-slightly glossy, and strongly aerodynamic rather than fluffy.

Wing, probably an outer primary or adjacent secondary, based on the narrow profile and asymmetrical vanes.

Large size, stiff dark pennaceous vane, pale rachis, pointed asymmetrical outline, and raptor-like construction are the strongest clues.

Red-tailed Hawks occupy open country, farmland, deserts, woodland edges, parks, and suburban landscapes, nesting in trees, cliffs, and tall structures.

Widespread across North America, Central America, and parts of the Caribbean; northern birds may migrate south, while many temperate populations are resident.

A major mesopredator of rodents, rabbits, reptiles, and small birds, it helps regulate prey populations and indicates functioning open-country ecosystems.

Dark feathers of Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Turkey Vulture, and large owls may overlap; wing geometry, barring, and rachis proportions are needed for separation.

Red-tailed Hawks are among North America’s most common large hawks and often soar in rising thermals while giving their famous piercing calls.

Raptor feathers have cultural importance in many Indigenous traditions; in the United States, possession of naturally shed feathers from native hawks is generally restricted under federal law.

Compare length, vane asymmetry, notch position, and banding with regional feather guides; look beneath favored roosts, fence lines, and woodland edges, but do not collect protected raptor feathers.

Appears naturally molted and generally good condition, with minor edge wear and no obvious fault bars, oiling, or parasite damage.