Red-tailed Hawk (Chicken Hawk)

This is a classic adult tail feather from a Red-tailed Hawk. The bird itself is a large, broad-winged raptor with a heavy body and a signature cinnamon-red tail. They are often seen soaring in wide circles or perched on telephone poles scanning for small mammals.

Vibrant rufous (brick-red) on the dorsal surface with a thin, dark subterminal band visible near the tip. The base transitions to a pale whitish or buff color.

Pennaceous; tightly interlocked barbs that create a solid vane surface, though the base appears slightly plumulaceous for insulation.

Smooth and matte on the surface with a high degree of rigidity; the vane feels slightly waxy to provide wind resistance during flight.

Diagnostic rufous-red color, broad vane width, and the presence of a faint dark subterminal band distinguishing it from the mottled brown tails of juveniles.

Extremely versatile: found in open woodlands, grasslands, agricultural fields, deserts, and increasingly in urban and suburban areas with tall perches.

Common throughout North America, from central Alaska and Canada southward to Panama and the West Indies.

Top-tier predator that controls rodent and rabbit populations. They are vital indicators of ecosystem health and habitat quality.

Red-shouldered Hawk feathers (smaller, more banded/checkered) and Broad-winged Hawk feathers (distinctive wide black and white bands).

The 'scream' of the Red-tailed Hawk is so iconic that it is almost always used in Hollywood movies to represent any eagle or hawk, regardless of the species actually on screen.

Good; the vane is mostly intact, though there is some minor separation of barbs (unzipping) near the edges, likely due to handling or post-molt wear.