Red-tailed Hawk (Buzzard)

This feather belongs to the iconic Red-tailed Hawk, a large raptor known for its broad, rounded wings and short, wide tail. Adults are characterized by the eponymous cinnamon-red tail that glows when backlit by the sun. They are renowned for their 'soaring' flight and piercing scream, which is often used in movies to represent any eagle or hawk.

Distinctive rufous or "brick-red" upper surface with a thin, dark subterminal band near the tip. The base of the feather transitions to a pale, almost white color. The ventral (underside) is notably paler and more silvery-pink.

Pennaceous barbs that are mostly interlocked, though showing significant wear and separation (fraying) toward the margins and tip

Stiff and durable, designed to act as a rudder in flight. The surface is matte rather than glossy.

The rich rufous-red color paired with a dark subterminal band and a white base is diagnostic for a mature adult Red-tailed Hawk.

Extremely versatile: found in open woodlands, prairies, agricultural fields, urban parks, and along highway corridors.

Common across North America, from central Alaska and Canada south through Mexico and Central America.

Top-tier predator that controls rodent and rabbit populations. They are essentially the 'ecological cleaners' of open spaces.

Ferruginous Hawk (larger, different tail pattern), Cooper's Hawk (gray/brown banded tail), and juvenile Red-tailed Hawks (which have brown banded tails, not red).

The 'scream' of the Red-tailed Hawk is so impressive that Hollywood almost always dubs it over the sound of a Bald Eagle, which actually has a much weaker, chirping call.

Fair to Poor. The feather shows significant mechanical wear, fraying of the barbs ('zipped' barbs have come undone), and some weathering, suggesting it was naturally molted some time ago or damaged by the environment.