Red-Tailed Hawk
Made to order in Salado, TX · Ships in 2–4 business days
Price range: $59.99 through $74.99
A Red-tailed Hawk silhouette measuring 17" high × 5.2" wide (excluding branch), laser cut from 1/8-inch steel, built to tap high into a wooden post, barn end, tree trunk or fence peak with a few hammer strikes. Choose Raw Steel, which arrives bare and rusts naturally outdoors to a warm brown patina, or Black Powder Coat, the same piece finished in black. Cut to order in Texas (free US shipping over $85).
- 30-day returns
- Damaged or wrong item replaced or refunded
Gallery includes weathered raw-steel and black-finish photographs.
That sound in every movie is this bird.
The scream you have heard over a hundred desert vistas and slow-motion eagle shots — the long, harsh, descending cry — is a Red-tailed Hawk. Bald eagles do not sound like that. What an eagle actually makes is a thin, chattering whistle, which no sound editor has ever considered adequate. So they dub in the hawk.
You have known this bird's voice your whole life without knowing whose it was.
We had this one cut perched and upright, shoulders set, which is the pose you pass a hundred times on any highway — one hawk to a light pole, spaced out along the mown verge, watching the grass for voles.
They are our most common large hawk and the most variable. Plumage runs from nearly white to almost black depending on where in the country you are, and the red tail everybody names them for only comes in with adulthood. The young birds have plain brown banded tails and get overlooked constantly.
In late winter a pair will circle together, and sometimes the two lock talons and tumble down the sky before letting go.
Set this one high — the top of a post, a barn end, the peak of a fence line. A hawk perched at knee height does not read right.
Details
- Design: The Red-tailed Hawk, perched upright and alert
- Size: 17" high × 5.2" wide (excluding branch), approx. 16 oz
- Material: 1/8-inch American steel
- Finish: Choose Raw Steel (arrives bare, rusts naturally outdoors) or Black Powder Coat
- Mounting: Built-in hammer-in spike for trees, fences and wooden posts
- Made in Texas: Laser cut to order in our family-owned shop
How to Set It
1. Pick a spot on a tree trunk, wooden fence or post — eye level from a window is best.
2. Hold the spike at a slight downward angle against the wood.
3. Tap the thick end of the spike with a hammer or mallet until it is firm.
No drilling, no screws, no other tools.
The Finish
Pick your finish from the Finish menu on this listing.
Raw Steel (Rusts Naturally): Your piece arrives as bare, raw steel — a clean steel gray. Outdoors, rain and dew turn it a warm rust brown, usually over the first few weeks, and the color keeps deepening with the weather. There is no paint or coating, so there is nothing to peel, fade or touch up. While the rust is forming, rust-colored runoff can mark pale stone, concrete or siding directly below it, so set it over wood, soil or mulch. Prefer the bare steel look? Keep it indoors or out of the rain.
Black Powder Coat: The same steel piece, powder coated in black. It arrives black rather than bare, does not develop the rust patina, and leaves no rust runoff, so it can go over pale stone, concrete or siding. Wipe it clean with a damp cloth. If it ever gets chipped, a dab of black exterior metal paint touches it up.
Processing & Shipping
Cut to order in our shop in Texas. Please allow 2–4 business days before your order ships. Orders of $99 or more ship free within the United States; under that, shipping is a flat $14.92. We ship within the United States only.
Returns
100% satisfaction guaranteed. If you are not happy with your piece for any reason, email [email protected] within 30 days of delivery and we will make it right with a replacement or a full refund.
About Our Photos
Some listing images are created or edited with AI-assisted tools to show the piece in an outdoor setting. The design and size you receive match this listing.
About Shadow Birds
Every Shadow Birds piece is cut from solid American steel and made in Texas. Browse the shop for more birds, Garden Folk, Seasonal & Holiday designs and Critters.
Questions? We're Glad to Help.
Send us a message anytime. Ordering several for a family, a memorial service, a garden club or a store? Just ask — we are happy to set up larger orders.
