Red-shouldered Hawk

This feather exhibits the classic dark and light barred pattern typical of Buteo lineatus body contour feathers. The Red-shouldered Hawk is a medium-sized raptor known for its striking rufous shoulders, heavily barred underparts, and dark wings with prominent white checkering and translucent 'crescents' visible at the wingtips in flight.

Bold alternating dark brown/blackish and creamy-white/warm-buff transverse bands; light yellowish-tan central rachis; clear contrast between the dark dark melanin bands and pale interspaces

Pennaceous vane in the middle to upper region with distinct interlocking barbs; plumulaceous, downy base near the calamus for insulation; intact upper barbs with slight fraying at the base

Smooth, firm, and slightly stiff across the barred pennaceous vane; soft, airy, downy texture at the base

Bold dark brown and creamy white/buff alternating horizontal bands, downy plumulaceous base, light tan central rachis, medium size suitable for body contour or covert plumulage

Deciduous and mixed woodlands, often near water sources like rivers, swamps, streams, and forested wetlands; also found in suburban woodlots

Year-round resident across the Eastern United States, California coast, and parts of Mexico; northern breeding populations range into southeastern Canada and migrate to the southern US in winter

Mid-tier avian predator that regulates populations of small mammals, amphibians (frogs and salamanders), reptiles (snakes), and crayfish in forest-wetland ecosystems

Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) feathers have similar barring but often narrower with less contrasting white; Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) body feathers are generally smaller with less defined white bands; Barred Owl (Strix varia) feathers have softer, combed edges with less crisp contrast

Red-shouldered Hawks are highly vocal raptors, often heard calling 'kee-aah, kee-aah' long before they are seen. Blue Jays frequently mimic their call to clear bird feeders or warn other birds.

Fair to Good condition; pennaceous region is well-formed with minor fraying along the edges, downy base is slightly clumped, light surface wear visible consistent with a naturally molted feather