Red-tailed Tropicbird
Red-tailed Tropicbird
Phaethon rubricauda
At a Glance
This graceful seabird ranges widely in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, and may be seen by visitors to Hawaii. In North American waters it has been found far off the coast of California, where it may be a rare but regular visitor more than 100 miles from land. Even more than its relatives, it seems to wander great distances away from its nesting islands.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Gull-like Birds, Tropicbirds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Open Ocean
Region
California
Behavior
Flap/Glide
Population
70.000
Range & Identification
Description
30-37" (76-94 cm), including tail. W. 41 (104 cm). Shaped like other tropicbirds, but adult is almost completely white, with small black markings on face and tertials, red tail streamers. Juvenile has fine black bars on back, but wingtips are white.
Size
About the size of a Heron, About the size of a Mallard or Herring Gull
Color
Black, Orange, Red, White
Wing Shape
Long, Pointed, Tapered
Tail Shape
Long, Pointed, Short, Wedge-shaped
Songs and Calls
Usually silent at sea.
Call Pattern
Flat
Call Type
Rattle, Raucous, Scream
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