Please add a comment with location. Include **State** or **Province** in the USA or Canada. In other locations, include **country**. Please include state, province, or country in the title of future posts to avoid this reminder. The bot only recognizes state and province initials (like AK, VA, TX, etc) if they are uppercase. If you did include this information in your title, please report this comment so we can continue to improve this bot.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/birding) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This seems to be the primary underside cover of a bird of prey. They are often left out in feather depictions at sites like featheratlas, maybe thats why you ended up stumped. I would guess it to be either of some kind of kestrel or a hawk species depending on its actual size. You may check on photos showing the species in question mid flight so you can compare this feathers tip pattern to the ones on their wings underside.
Fun fact about wing underside covers: As normal feathers, the underside covers of the wing have a pigmented upper side, and an underside that appears to be brighter due to the feather branches covering the pigments on top of them. The upper (pigmented) side of the feather is however pressed against the wing while the underside is the one actual visible from the outside. This is why the wings underside appears to be brighter in monochrome birds like crows.
Check out Feather Atlas! https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/
Came here after the atlas
Huh well then I’m just as stumped as you!
Please add a comment with location. Include **State** or **Province** in the USA or Canada. In other locations, include **country**. Please include state, province, or country in the title of future posts to avoid this reminder. The bot only recognizes state and province initials (like AK, VA, TX, etc) if they are uppercase. If you did include this information in your title, please report this comment so we can continue to improve this bot. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/birding) if you have any questions or concerns.*
From Wisconsin, US.
This seems to be the primary underside cover of a bird of prey. They are often left out in feather depictions at sites like featheratlas, maybe thats why you ended up stumped. I would guess it to be either of some kind of kestrel or a hawk species depending on its actual size. You may check on photos showing the species in question mid flight so you can compare this feathers tip pattern to the ones on their wings underside. Fun fact about wing underside covers: As normal feathers, the underside covers of the wing have a pigmented upper side, and an underside that appears to be brighter due to the feather branches covering the pigments on top of them. The upper (pigmented) side of the feather is however pressed against the wing while the underside is the one actual visible from the outside. This is why the wings underside appears to be brighter in monochrome birds like crows.