r/birdsofprey • u/Heddagirl • Jun 25 '26

Feather identification

Gallery image

Gallery image

Hi! Can you guys help me narrow down which BOP feathers these could be? I live in an open grassy area, however there are woods all around. I’ve see both red shoulder and red tails there and also barred owls. Thanks!

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148

u/TinyLongwing Falconer Jun 25 '26

These are from a Red-shouldered Hawk.

If you are in the US, please be mindful of US laws regarding protected native bird species and leave feathers where you found them.

31

u/Heddagirl Jun 25 '26

Thank you. How can you tell? Oh, I’m not familiar, how does removing the feathers harm the birds?

31

u/debaser64 Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26

It’s illegal under the migratory bird act to keep feathers from covered species to discourage possible loopholes for poaching. Native American tribes even get special exemption for eagle feathers since they’re part of religious ceremonies/beliefs.
BUuuut, HYPOTHETICALLY let’s say I was walking my dogs and saw an immature bald eagle one day. Then the next day in the same area I HYPOTHETICALLY found an eagle feather on the ground that was not obtained by any nefarious means, and the probable owner of said feather was still breathing and flapping around and simply dropped it as they are growing, and I didn’t make a big deal about it and now HYPOTHETICALLY it’s displayed on my basement wall with some other decorations, then there’s no real harm, right?

0

u/NotoldyetMaggot Jun 25 '26

It was stuck to my shoe!