As there are many different kinds of hawk, obviously this means their feathers will vary slightly.
If you have found a feather and are unsure what type of hawk it comes from, or if indeed it does even come from a hawk, read on.
The red tail hawk as a light morph adult will have dark stripes on the feathers found on its wings. A younger red tail hawk will have lighter colored feathers with a number of dark, thin bands or stripes on its feathers. You can see a picture comparing the different feathers at this link:
www.lab.fws.gov/featheratlas/feather.php?Bird=RTHA_tail_adul
Krider's hawks have feathers that can be found in either pink or white colors while Ferruginous hawks have very pale feathers when they reach adulthood.
The area you have found the feather in may also give you some clues as some hawks are more common in some areas than others. For example, the Osprey hawks can be found near the water in Atlanta during the summer months.
For any more information on how you can identify the type and age of a hawk just from its feather have a look at some books on the subject. You should be able to find a range of books that include pictures and photos of the types of feathers you should be looking for. There is also some useful information online too. Have a look at this website for further details:
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i3370id.html
If you have found a feather and are unsure what type of hawk it comes from, or if indeed it does even come from a hawk, read on.
The red tail hawk as a light morph adult will have dark stripes on the feathers found on its wings. A younger red tail hawk will have lighter colored feathers with a number of dark, thin bands or stripes on its feathers. You can see a picture comparing the different feathers at this link:
www.lab.fws.gov/featheratlas/feather.php?Bird=RTHA_tail_adul
Krider's hawks have feathers that can be found in either pink or white colors while Ferruginous hawks have very pale feathers when they reach adulthood.
The area you have found the feather in may also give you some clues as some hawks are more common in some areas than others. For example, the Osprey hawks can be found near the water in Atlanta during the summer months.
For any more information on how you can identify the type and age of a hawk just from its feather have a look at some books on the subject. You should be able to find a range of books that include pictures and photos of the types of feathers you should be looking for. There is also some useful information online too. Have a look at this website for further details:
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/i3370id.html
