Red-tailed Hawk (Red-tail)

A striking brown primary flight feather featuring a prominent cream-colored shaft, belonging to the iconic Red-tailed Hawk. The Red-tailed Hawk is a robust soaring raptor with broad wings and a short, wide tail that typically appears brick-red in adults. They are master soarers, often seen perching on roadside poles or circling gracefully in thermals searching for small mammals.

Rich medium-brown upper surface with a prominent pale cream-colored central rachis and subtle darker brown subterminal banding near the tip

Tightly interlocked pennaceous barbs with strong hooklets creating a waterproof and wind-resistant surface; intact structure with minor fraying along the trailing edge

Stiff, firm, and smooth texture with a matte finish, offering high rigidity along the leading edge and flexibility at the trailing edge

Asymmetrical shape with a thick, pale cream rachis, rich brown coloration, and subtle dark banding toward the rounded tip

Extremely adaptable, inhabiting open country, deserts, scrublands, urban areas, agricultural fields, grasslands, and deciduous or coniferous forests

Widespread throughout North America, ranging from western Alaska and northern Canada down through Central America and the Caribbean

Acts as a top apex avian predator, playing a crucial role in controlling rodent and small mammal populations, thereby maintaining balanced local ecosystems

Swainson's Hawk and Ferruginous Hawk, which can be distinguished by specific differences in barring patterns, size, and rachis coloration

Red-tailed Hawks have exceptional vision, estimated to be eight times sharper than a human's, allowing them to spot a mouse from 100 feet in the air. Their famous piercing scream is frequently used in Hollywood films to represent any soaring raptor, regardless of location.

Good condition overall; rachis is strong and intact, though there is some minor wear and slight separation of barbs along the lower trailing edge