General

Red-tailed Tropicbird: Medium-sized tropicbird with silky white plumage and small but conspicuous black eyestripe. Bill is coral red. Legs and feet are black. Tail has long, red central streamers. Sexes are similar. Juvenile lacks tail streamers, has black bill, and black-barred upperparts.

Range and Habitat

Red-tailed Tropicbird: Nests on the Hawaiian Islands and disperses widely in tropical and subtropical areas of the Indian and Pacific oceans; accidental off southern California. More pelagic that other tropicbirds, usually seen far out at sea.

Breeding and Nesting

Red-tailed Tropicbird: One gray egg with heavy red brown spotting is laid on the ground in sand. Incubation ranges from 39 to 45 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Red-tailed Tropicbird: Feeds on small fish and squid. Hovers over water after spotting prey, and then dives from the air to catch it.

Vocalization

Red-tailed Tropicbird: Calls include a guttural squawk of varying intensity and high, whistle-like screeches.

Similar Species

Red-tailed Tropicbird: Red-billed Tropicbird lacks red central tail feathers, has orange-red bill, barred back, and black primaries.