Where we live, the Red-tailed Hawk is a familiar sight. I often see them perched quietly along the roadside or soaring overhead, their broad wings catching the wind as they circle above.
Though they are known for their rich brown backs, pale streaked bellies, and cinnamon-red tails, Red-tailed Hawks can actually vary quite a bit in color depending on where they live. But perhaps the most surprising thing about them is their unmistakable call. That piercing screech you hear in movies and television whenever an eagle appears? It is usually the call of a Red-tailed Hawk instead.
This piece was created as a gift for a family after the passing of a beloved husband and father. The Red-tailed Hawk was his favorite bird, and they wanted it to become part of my Field Notes series—a collection inspired by one of my own fondest memories: watching birds with my grandparents.
My grandparents had a bird feeder just outside the kitchen window, and I could spend ages sitting nearby, watching the steady stream of birds that came to visit. I remember asking about the ones I didn't recognize and slowly learning to notice the little differences between them.
Those quiet moments of watching, wondering, and learning are still part of what draws me to birds today. And in this piece, that familiar Red-tailed Hawk carries something a little more personal—a way of honoring someone dearly loved while becoming part of another family's memories, too.
Life is full of beautiful moments. We need only slow down and notice them.
Pairs well with Spinus Tristis , Sialia Sialis and Cardinalis Cardinalis
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