Red-tailed Hawk (Chestnut-bellied or Light Morph Variant)

The Red-tailed Hawk is a powerful and robust raptor with broad wings and a short, wide tail. Adults typically feature a distinctive brick-red tail, a pale chest with a streaked belly band, and dark brown upperparts. They are iconic soaring birds, frequently seen circling gracefully over open fields and highways.

Stunning bicolored pattern with a stark white inner vane/edge and a deep, rich reddish-brown (chestnut) outer vane, featuring a dark brownish-black tip. The rachis is white to off-white

Pennaceous at the upper distal tip transitioning into plumulaceous (fluffy/downy) barbs at the base; possesses an afterfeather (aftershaft); barbs are intact and well-conditioned

Smooth and glossy in the pennaceous colored portion, soft and fluffy at the base, matte finish overall

Striking vertical split in coloration with crisp white on one side and rich chestnut-brown on the other, capped with a dark tip and featuring a fluffy white base

Extremely adaptable, inhabiting deserts, scrublands, urban areas, mountainous regions, coniferous and deciduous forests, and agricultural fields

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

Acts as an apex avian predator helping to control rodent and small mammal populations, serving as a primary indicator of healthy terrestrial ecosystems

Swainson's Hawk or Ferruginous Hawk, which can have similar reddish tones in their plumage but usually differ in specific pattern details, sizing, and geographic overlap

Red-tailed Hawks have incredible eyesight, allowing them to spot a mouse from 100 feet in the air. Their iconic scream is frequently used in Hollywood films to represent any soaring eagle or hawk, regardless of what bird is actually on screen

Excellent condition, fresh molt with intact barbs and no signs of heavy wear, fading, or fault bars