Red-tailed Hawk (Red-tail)

The Red-tailed Hawk is a powerful, robust raptor with broad, rounded wings and a short, wide tail that is typically brick-red in adults. Females are larger than males, a common trait among raptors. They are masters of soaring flight, often seen circling high above open fields or perched on roadside utility poles scanning for prey. Their calls consist of a harsh, descending scream that is frequently used in media to represent any soaring raptor.

Rich chocolate brown with prominent, evenly spaced dark brown transverse bars against a creamy white or pale grayish background, featuring a robust off-white rachis.

Tightly interlocked pennaceous structure along the upper vane with strong hooklets for aerodynamic efficiency, transitioning to a looser, semiplumulaceous structure near the base of the rachis.

Stiff and smooth along the pennaceous vane for wind resistance, with a matte appearance and softer, downy barbs clustered at the base.

Distinctive alternating dark brown and pale greyish-white horizontal banding across a broad feather web with a sturdy, pale-colored central rachis.

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

Widespread throughout North America, ranging from western Alaska and northern Canada down through all of the United States, Mexico, and into Central America and the Caribbean.

As apex avian predators, Red-tailed Hawks play a crucial role in regulating rodent and small mammal populations, helping to maintain balance in local ecosystems.

Rough-legged Hawk and Ferruginous Hawk, which can be distinguished by differences in primary feather length, specific banding patterns, and leg feathering.

Red-tailed Hawks have incredible eyesight, allowing them to spot a mouse from 100 feet in the air. Their iconic scream is so frequently used in movies that it is often dubbed over footage of other birds, such as eagles or ospreys.

Good condition with intact barbs, minor natural wear at the very tip, and no noticeable fault bars or parasitic damage.