Red-shouldered Hawk

A medium-sized hawk with 'cold' black and white checkered wings and a warm rufous (reddish) breast. The feather shown exhibits the iconic bold banding that makes these hawks easy to identify in flight from below.

Distinctive high-contrast banding featuring wide, dark brownish-black bars alternating with crisp white or cream-colored sections. The tip is dark.

Densely interlocked pennaceous barbs throughout most of the vane for flight integrity, transitioning to plumulaceous (downy) barbs at the very base (calamus).

Smooth, stiff, and somewhat glossy on the dorsal surface, designed to be wind-resistant and durable during flight.

High-contrast dark and white banding of roughly equal width; secondary feather shape; yellowish rachis; lack of the 'faded' transition seen in Red-tailed Hawks.

Deciduous or mixed woodlands, often near water sources such as rivers, swamps, or wooded wetlands.

Year-round resident in the Eastern United States, California, and parts of Mexico; northern populations may migrate slightly south in winter.

Generalist predator; controls populations of small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles (snakes/frogs). They are indicators of healthy forest-wetland complexes.

Broad-winged Hawk (shorter, less contrast), Red-tailed Hawk (bands are narrower and less crisp on secondaries), Cooper's Hawk (longer, more tapered shape).

The Red-shouldered Hawk is one of the most vocal North American hawks, often giving a loud 'kee-aah' call that is frequently mimicked by Blue Jays.

Good condition; the barbs are mostly intact with minimal fraying, suggesting a relatively fresh molt.