News Today: Young Red Tailed Hawk Has Grown Red Tail Feathers

Breaking News..September 10,2011, the Red Tailed Hawk is now grown up...the Red Tail Feathers Are In and Beautiful.
See photo below...

Birds of Prey Go Through Stages of Growing Into Adult Hawks and Owls We Recognize.  The Tail Feathers of the Red Tailed Hawk are a Dramatic Example...

If you look back at the post from June 2, 2011, you will see Jesse, a young hawk in training as a educational bird. Notice the tail has no red feathers!  The red tailed hawk must grow those rich brownish red tail feathers as it matures. Also, the eye color will become the striking rich orange brown of the adult. This young hawk does not yet have the adult eye color but is quite close. 

To find that earlier post look under the "secret behind ancient trees" photo on the right and click on the post theme "Raptors and Raptor Rehab".  When that comes up scroll down to see find the back view of this hawk with stripped but no red tail feathers.  While in the theme of raptors, you will also see a post showing the growth of a Broad Winged Hawk born this year and now released back into the wild.

I find the color of these new feathers marvelous.  During a fairly recent visit, this hawk would not turn around long enough for a decent photograph.  I saw only two red feathers and one of those was just starting to come in. 

Count the feathers from today.  There are five, including 4 long feathers and a shorter one which will reach the proper length fairly soon.  The feathers beneath are still the juvenile stripped feathers and will be dropped and replaced with the tail feathers giving this kind of hawk its name.

Today, unlike any previous visits, Jesse the red tailed hawk seemed to strut her(or his) new colors.  "Look at me! This is great!"

Edited On 9-16-2011
This hawk strutted on September 10, 2011 when I went to take a look. All the red tail feathers are in and are beautiful. Now you know about the red tail feathers. 

 

As always, I thank the Creator for these magnificent animals and am very grateful to be a volunteer photographer for the Clinch River Raptor Center.  The raptor center is part of the Clinch River Environmental Sciences Organization, a source of excellent research, rehab, educational programs and learning provider for many school children.  The organization does bird banding, box turtle research, snake research and other environmental projects along with the raptor rehabilitation and education functions.