Red-tailed Hawk (Red-tail)

A striking raptor feather featuring the classic earthy brown and white mottled patterns typical of the Red-tailed Hawk. The bird itself is a robust soaring hawk with broad wings and a signature rust-colored tail in adults.

Dark brown and white barring/mottling along the vane, featuring distinct alternating dark brown bands and whitish or buff patches, with a robust white-to-pale grey rachis basally.

Pennaceous vane distally with interlocked barbs, transitioning to partially frayed or plumulaceous structure near the base.

Stiff, durable, and smooth along the pennaceous portions with a matte finish, becoming softer and fluffier near the proximal base.

Contrasting dark brown and white barred pattern, stout pale shaft, and broad vane structure.

Open country, woodlands, deserts, urban areas, agricultural fields, and along major roadways.

Widespread throughout North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada down through the United States, Mexico, and into parts of Central America and the Caribbean.

Acts as a primary apex avian predator helping regulate small mammal and rodent populations across diverse ecosystems.

Swainson's Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, and Rough-legged Hawk, distinguished by specific barring patterns, feather dimensions, and coloration details.

Red-tailed Hawks have excellent eyesight capable of spotting a mouse from 100 feet in the air and are frequently featured in falconry and films due to their distinctive piercing scream.

Good condition with minor wear and slight fraying along the lower inner vane barbs, but overall structurally intact.