Feather Facts

Have you ever discovered a feather while on a hike and wondered what bird it might be from? Two of the most commonly found large feathers in this area are the Turkey and Red Tail Hawk feathers. Ironically, they are very similar in color and banding. Here are a few ways to tell them apart. The Red Tail Hawk feathers are lighter in color and the bands are much larger. Each bird has 3 different types of tail feathers. To the right are pictures of the Hawk and Turkey center tail feathers can you tell which feather is which?

A. Turkey B. Red Tail Hawk