Red-tailed Hawk (Buzzard)

This is a quintessential tail feather of an adult Red-tailed hawk. These birds are heavy-set raptors with broad, rounded wings and short, wide tails. Adults are characterized by the eponymous red tail, while juveniles have brown, banded tails. They are known for their 'kree-eee-ar' screaming call often used in Hollywood films to represent any eagle or hawk.

Rich rufous-cinnamon or brick-red upper surface with a thin, distinct black subterminal band near the tip. The tip itself is a creamy white/buff. Some light speckling or faint barring is visible toward the base and outer edges.

Pennaceous; tightly interlocked barbs creating a stiff, flight-ready surface. Plumulaceous (downy) barbs are present at the very base near the calamus.

Smooth and stiff to the touch; the dorsal surface has a slight matte-to-satin sheen, while the ventral side (underneath) appears paler and more silvery.

Rufous-red color, black subterminal band, creamy tip, and a stiff pennaceous structure characteristic of a large raptor's tail.

Extremely versatile; found in open country, woodlands, prairies, deserts, and increasingly in urban parks and highway corridors with suitable perching sites.

Widespread across North America, from central Alaska and Canada southward through Mexico and Central America to the West Indies.

Apex predator; they play a vital role in controlling rodent and rabbit populations. They are opportunistic feeders but primarily focus on small mammals.

Ferruginous Hawk (typically lack the clear black subterminal band), Red-shouldered Hawk (translucent 'windows' and more black/white banding), or juvenile Red-tailed Hawks (which have brown banded tails).

The Red-tailed Hawk's scream is so iconic that it is almost always dubbed over the top of images of Bald Eagles, whose actual voice is a series of relatively weak chirps and whistles.

Good to Excellent. The vane is mostly intact with minimal fraying. There are no obvious 'fault bars' (stress lines), suggesting the bird had a healthy diet during the feather's growth.