Red-shouldered Hawk (Red-shouldered Hawk, Northern Red-shouldered Hawk)

A striking medium-sized hawk with reddish-brown barred underparts, checkered black-and-white wings, and a long tail banded in narrow white stripes. Known for its loud, piercing whistling calls often mimicked by blue jays.

Dark brownish-black base with striking, crisp white to pale buff horizontal bars and spots along both vanes, typical of the bold patterning found on Buteo wing feathers

Tightly interlocked pennaceous structure with well-developed barbicels and hooklets forming a strong, smooth vane, with a small plumulaceous tuft at the base

Strong, central curved rachis that is pale on the underside and darker on top, with dense, tightly angled barbs extending outward to form the vane

Smooth, firm, and slightly glossy on the upper surface with a stiff, durable vane designed for aerodynamic flight

Secondary flight feather from the inner to middle wing, identified by its broad shape and distinct alternating dark and white/buff barring

Distinctive high-contrast black and white/buff barring across a broad, rounded secondary flight feather

Deciduous and mixed forests, often near rivers, swamps, and wet woodlands with tall trees for nesting and open areas for hunting

Disjunct populations in eastern North America and along the Pacific coast of California, generally resident or short-distance migrants

Acts as an apex avian predator controlling small mammal, amphibian, and reptile populations in woodland ecosystems

Broad-winged Hawk and Red-tailed Hawk, distinguished here by the specific narrow alternating light and dark bar pattern characteristic of Buteo lineatus

Red-shouldered Hawks often reuse the same nests for multiple years, frequently decorating them with fresh sprigs of evergreen or deciduous foliage

Historically valued in falconry and by indigenous cultures for ceremonial regalia, though currently protected by law

Look for molted hawk feathers near mature woodland nesting sites, riparian zones, and under traditional perches during late summer and autumn

Good overall condition with intact barbs and minimal fraying at the tip, showing a fresh or recently molted appearance