Red-tailed tropicbird

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

DickDaniels


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 Islands
2019
Seasonality Uncertain
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
Islands
2019
Breeding
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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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