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    Red-tailed tropicbird

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    They dance along with their gorgeous red tails to attract partners in a faithful courtship

    Dick Daniels








      Saved In:


    Red-tailed tropicbird

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE

    They dance along with their gorgeous red tails to attract partners in a faithful courtship

    Population 70,000

    These tropicbirds are not a big fan of change and like to keep their old breeding partners and nesting sites intact for years. The nest-site fidelity observed in this species is not due to restricted vegetated areas; instead, it is convenient for them to use their previous nest site as it mitigates the effort of finding a new one.

    These birds are monogamous (having one breeding partner at a time), and both parents take shifts to feed the young chick. They usually lay a single egg, but the egg loss is often replaced with a new one. Their faithfulness depends on successful breeding; otherwise, they tend to change mates and nesting sites in the next season. The mature birds like to feed alone offshore rather than in groups. These tropicbirds are not a big fan of change and like to keep their old breeding partners and nesting sites intact for years. The nest-site fidelity observed in this species is not due to restricted vegetated areas; instead, it is convenient for them to use their previous nest site as it mitigates the effort of finding a new one.

    These birds are monogamous (having one breeding partner at a time), and both parents take shifts to feed the young chick. They usually lay a single egg, but the egg loss is often replaced with a new one. Their faithfulness depends on successful breeding; otherwise, they tend to change mates and nesting sites in the next season. The mature birds like to feed alone offshore rather than in groups.

    Distribution

    Country
    Population est.
    Status
    Year
    Comments
    American Samoa
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Australia
    2019
    Bangladesh
    2019
    Brazil
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    British Indian T.
    2019
    Canada
    2019
    Chile
    2019
    China
    2019
    Christmas Island
    2019
    Breeding
    Cocos Is. (Keeling)
    2019
    Breeding
    Comoros
    2019
    Cook
    East Timor
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Fiji
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    French Polynesia
    2019
    Breeding
    French Southern T.
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Guam
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    India
    2019
    Indonesia
    2019
    Japan
    2019
    Kenya
    2019
    Vagrant
    Kiribati
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Madagascar
    2019
    Malaysia
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Maldives
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Marshall Islands
    2019
    Breeding
    Mauritius
    2019
    Breeding
    Mayotte
    2019
    Mexico
    2019
    Micronesia
    2019
    Mozambique
    2019
    Nauru
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    New Caledonia
    2019
    Breeding
    New Zealand
    2019
    Breeding
    Niue
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Norfolk Island
    2019
    Nort. Mariana Is.
    2019
    Breeding
    Palau
    2019
    Breeding
    Papua New Guinea
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Peru
    2019
    Vagrant
    Philippines
    2019
    Pitcairn
    2019
    Breeding
    Réunion
    2019
    Breeding
    Samoa
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Seychelles
    2019
    Breeding
    Solomon Islands
    2019
    Somalia
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    South Africa
    2019
    Taiwan
    2019
    Tanzania
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Thailand
    2019
    Vagrant
    Tokelau
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Tonga
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Tuvalu
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    US Minor Is.
    2019
    Breeding
    United States
    2019
    Breeding: Hawaiian Is.
    Vanuatu
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Wallis & Futuna
    2019
    Breeding

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    Get to know me

    Terrestrial / Aquatic

    Altricial / Precocial

    Polygamous / Monogamous

    Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

    Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

    Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd / Colony

    Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

    Migratory: Yes / No

    Domesticated: Yes / No

    Dangerous: Yes / No

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE
    Least Concern(IUCN)
    World Population 70,000
    Honorary Patron: BioDB
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    Threats

    Habitat destruction / Climate change / Freshwater pollution / Marine pollution / Deforestation / Farming / Fishing practices / Poaching & wildlife trade / Invasive species / Parasites & diseases / Noise pollution / Light pollution

    My ID

    Scientific name: Phaethon rubricauda Number of subspecies: 4 Name of subspecies:

    P. r. melanorhynchos
    P. r. roseotinctus
    P. r. rubricauda
    P. r. westralis

    Physical traits

    Length: 95 – 104 cm (37 – 41 in) Weight: 800 g (30 oz) Lifespan: 16 – 30 years Wingspan: 111 – 119 cm (44 -47 in) Incubation: 42 – 46 days Eggs: 1 egg
    Habitats: Coastal Marine
    Regions: Africa Asia North America Oceania South America
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