Red-tailed Hawk

This feather belongs to the Red-tailed Hawk, a bulky raptor with a wingspan of up to 4.5 feet. Adults are famous for their namesake cinnamon-red tails, though their wing feathers—like this one—retain the barred camouflage necessary for blending into forest canopies.

Classic 'mottled' hawk pattern. The base color is off-white to creamy. It features broad, irregular transverse bands of earthy brown to sepia. The upper surface exhibits darker pigmentation than the ventral side, which appears more silvery.

Densely packed pennaceous barbs throughout the main vane for aerodynamic integrity, transitioning to plumulaceous (downy) barbs at the base (superior umbilicus) for insulation.

The dorsal surface is slightly glossy and smooth to the touch. The vane is stiff and rigid to withstand air pressure during flight, yet the base is soft and flexible.

Wide, rounded tip; ivory-colored rachis; distinct dark brown banding on a cream background; broad secondary vane width.

Extremely versatile; found in open woodlands, agricultural fields, grasslands, desert scrub, and increasingly in urban parks and highway corridors with high perches.

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

Apex predator; plays a vital role in controlling rodent and rabbit populations. They are ecological indicators of a healthy, prey-rich environment.

Red-shouldered Hawk (smaller, more uniform banding), Cooper's Hawk (narrower bands, smaller size), and Broad-winged Hawk (tapered shape).

The 'scream' of the Red-tailed Hawk is so iconic and piercing that it is almost always used in Hollywood movies to represent any eagle or hawk, even if the species shown on screen is different.

Good condition. There is minor fraying at the tip and along the trailing edge consistent with natural wear and wind friction. No significant fault bars visible.