Red-shouldered Hawk

A medium-sized hawk with broad rounded wings and a long tail. Adults feature a reddish breast, reddish-barred shoulders, and a distinctly banded tail with narrow white stripes. They are known for their noisy, screaming calls.

Striking pattern of bold, narrow white or pale grey horizontal bands alternating with wider dark brown or black bars against a rich reddish-brown background. The rachis is whitish or pale grey.

Pennaceous vane structure with tightly interlocked barbs and barbicels along the upper portion, transitioning to a slightly more plumulaceous, fluffy base near the calamus.

Central rachis is robust, pale whitish-cream on the dorsal side, slightly curved, and grooved ventrally. Barbs are tightly packed, dense, and set at a consistent angle.

Stiff, firm, and smooth along the pennaceous vane, with a matte appearance. The base is soft and downy.

Tail (rectrix). Determined by the distinctive narrow alternating black and white banding pattern characteristic of the tail feathers of this species.

Bold, narrow white and dark banding across a reddish-brown or dark background, typical of tail feathers from this species.

Deciduous and mixed lowland forests, swamp forests, river bottoms, and wooded riparian zones, often near water.

Resident across eastern North America, along the Pacific coast of California, and extending down into parts of Mexico.

Acts as an apex avian predator helping regulate small mammal, reptile, and amphibian populations in forested and wetland ecosystems.

Broad-winged Hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. Broad-winged tail bands are broader and fewer in number; Red-tailed Hawk tail feathers are typically uniform brick red without multiple dark and light bands (except in juveniles).

Red-shouldered Hawks are fond of soaring and often use the same nest year after year, sometimes adding fresh greenery to the structure.

Feathers of North American raptors hold cultural significance for many Native American tribes. Historically used in various traditional regalia and ceremonies.

Look for molted raptor feathers beneath mature forest canopies, near woodland streams, or around known nesting trees, particularly during late summer and early autumn.

Good condition, fresh appearance with intact barbs and minimal fraying at the tip. No major structural damage or fault bars observed.

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