Likely Cooper’s Hawk; also called the Chicken Hawk (older, informal usage).

This is a barred, tapered feather consistent with a medium-sized hawk, but a photograph of one feather is insufficient for a secure species identification. Cooper’s Hawk is a crow-sized woodland raptor with short rounded wings, a long tail, and quick, agile flight through trees.

Brown-gray ground color with broad dark brown to nearly black bands and a pale tip area. The pattern is consistent with a barred raptor feather but is not diagnostic of species.

The vanes are compact and pennaceous, with aligned barbs; close inspection for wear or barb damage is not possible in the image.

A slender, pale central shaft is visible; barbs form broad pale and dark bands across the vane.

Appears smooth and fairly firm, with a matte-to-satin surface; the photograph does not show fine texture clearly.

Probably from the tail, though a barred wing feather is also possible; the broad dark bands and elongated shape support a rectrix interpretation.

Broad dark crossbars, pale intervening bands, and a long tapered outline suggest a hawk tail feather. Similar patterns occur in several raptors and some other birds.

Cooper’s Hawks use forests, woodland edges, and increasingly suburban areas with mature trees, where they hunt birds and small mammals.

Found across much of North America; many northern birds migrate south, while populations farther south are largely resident.

Cooper’s Hawks are mid-level predators that help regulate populations of birds and small mammals. The species is broadly widespread, though habitat loss and collisions remain local concerns.

Sharp-shinned Hawk feathers can look similar but are generally smaller; Northern Goshawk feathers are usually larger. Barred feathers from other hawks and owls may also resemble this specimen.

Cooper’s Hawks are adept at pursuing birds through dense cover and have adapted well to wooded neighborhoods. Their long tails help them steer sharply during these pursuits.

Raptor feathers have cultural importance in some Indigenous traditions, but possession and use may be legally restricted. In the United States, most native hawk feathers are protected under federal law; do not collect or keep one without confirming applicable rules.

Use a ruler, photograph both sides beside a scale, and compare the feather with regional feather references; tail-feather position and the pattern across the full vane are helpful. Check local wildlife regulations before collecting or retaining it.

The feather appears mostly intact, with no clearly visible major breakage; condition is provisionally good. Small wear or damage cannot be assessed at this resolution.