Feathers I Have Found

I don’t usually take feathers home with me when I encounter them on my walks. But, I almost always take at least one picture… my way of “collecting” them. With the assistance of The Feather Atlas — an amazing tool hosted by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, I’ve been attempting to make some IDs. Here are a couple of my favorites:

I think this one belongs to a Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus). Compare to image here. I found it near the creek, under the dense oak canopy where we often see these hawks hunting low, expertly weaving through the branches. ** Be sure to click on the feather for a bonus image of an immature Red-shouldered Hawk. **

I’m almost certain this must be a Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) feather. Compare to image here. I found this one at the base of a eucalyptus tree along a regularly walked path. I’ve never seen a Great Horned perched up there, but I have often noted the large amount of droppings under one of the larger branches and wondered if they might not be using it as a perch when hunting at night. ** Don’t forget about the bonus image — click on the feather! **