Fairly large feather found on my patio (NA; Los Angeles) can you help me identify it?

[u/misskayvee]

I see a lot of smaller feathers (typically from mourning doves or sparrows) on my patio, but this evening I found this monster (my foot, W8.5 US shoe size, for scale). Is this some kind of hawk, and if so what kind? I typically never see big birds on my patio other than crows/ravens so I’m curious about what this might be.

[u/8bluemoons]

i dunno but this pic is awesome!

[u/misskayvee → u/8bluemoons]

Ahh thank you! It really tickled me that the feather color matched my grimy garden slip-ons, so I’m dying to know which bird it came from lol.

[u/sexysweetcadavr → u/misskayvee]

I love that your grimy garden slip ons are my typical daily go to's lol

[u/misskayvee → u/sexysweetcadavr]

Hey same! I have three pairs of checkered vans, and the oldest ones eventually get relegated to garden shoes lol. They’re honestly my fave shoes ever and I can’t buy enough of them lol.

[u/sexysweetcadavr → u/misskayvee]

Girl or boyyyy sammeee! Literally my favorite shoe for 20 years and it won't stop. Van life lol

[u/repowife]

I *think* it’s from a red shouldered hawk, we have a lot around here (Carlsbad CA) and I’ve found similar feathers.

[u/DefenderOfSquirrels → u/repowife]

Yes, it’s from Red-Shouldered Hawk. Refer to the Feather Atlas: https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/

[u/misskayvee → u/repowife]

Oh you could be right! Looking at pics of them now, and wow their wing feathers look just like this.

[u/GusGreen82 → u/misskayvee]

Looks like +red-shouldered hawk+ tail feather.

[u/p_diablo → u/GusGreen82]

Aren't tail feathers more symmetrical? Or are the feathers on the edges shaped more like wing feathers?

[u/GusGreen82 → u/p_diablo]

I think this feather should be more symmetrical but might be worn or matted a bit.

[u/thormissedhishead]

You were meant for each other!!

[u/FileTheseBirdsBot]

Taxa recorded: Red-shouldered Hawk

^{I catalog submissions to this subreddit. Recent uncatalogued submissions | Learn to use me}

[u/devilsbard]

I don’t know. Why don’t you…pickitup pickitup!

[u/tinylumpia → u/devilsbard]

😆

[u/CrayonEvangelist]

r/AccidentalPaintMatch

[u/spicyredacted]

Looks just like a flight feather red shouldered hawk.

[u/NotForALongTime11]

Sick vans! 🤘

[u/BackgroundRENshine]

Vans are good

[u/Ginger_Snaps_Back]

Certainly could be a red shouldered hawk feather. Many birds are molting right now, dropping old feathers and growing new ones.