Red-shouldered Hawk

This feather belongs to the Red-shouldered Hawk, a medium-sized Buteo known for its colorful plumage and vocal nature. The adult bird features a checkered black-and-white wing pattern (reflected in this feather), a rufous (reddish) breast, and a strongly barred black-and-white tail. In flight, they show a distinctive translucent 'pale comma' across the primary bases.

Striking high-contrast pattern consisting of broad, dark brown-to-blackish bars alternating with crisp white or cream-colored bars. The dark bars are wider than the light bars. The tip is dark with a very narrow white edge.

Densely pennaceous throughout the main vane for aerodynamic efficiency, transitioning to a small plumulaceous (downy) section at the base (superior umbilicus) for insulation.

Smooth, stiff, and somewhat glossy on the dorsal surface. The vane is rigid to provide resistance against air pressure during the downstroke of flight.

Bold black-and-white barring, broad secondaries shape, and the lack of the reddish-brown tint found in Red-tailed Hawk feathers. The white bars are very clean and distinct.

Deciduous and mixed woodlands, often near water sources like rivers, swamps, and flooded forests. Also increasingly common in suburban areas with mature trees.

Year-round resident in the Eastern United States (including North Carolina) and along the coast of California into Mexico. Northern populations in the Northeast and Canada are migratory.

Apex predator of the forest mid-canopy. They control populations of small mammals, snakes, and frogs. They serve as an indicator species for the health of riparian (streamside) forests.

Broad-winged Hawk (smaller, fewer bars), Red-tailed Hawk (usually lacks such heavy, high-contrast white barring on secondaries), and Barred Owl (feathers are much softer, with 'fringed' edges for silent flight).

Red-shouldered Hawks are highly territorial; they will often return to the same nesting territory year after year. They are known as the 'voice of the woods' due to their loud, screaming 'kee-aah' call, which Blue Jays frequently mimic.

Excellent condition. The edges show very little wear or fraying, suggesting this feather was likely molted recently rather than lost due to damage or age. No fault bars visible.

Waxhaw, NC