Red-tailed Tropicbird

Phaethon rubricauda · Seabird of the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans
Order
Phaethontiformes
Codes
rettro, RTTR

About the Red-tailed Tropicbird

The red-tailed tropicbird is a seabird native to tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. One of three closely related species of tropicbird (Phaethontidae), it was described by Pieter Boddaert in 1783. Superficially resembling a tern in appearance, it has almost all-white plumage with a black mask and a red bill. The sexes have similar plumage. As referenced in the common name, adults have red tail streamers that are about twice their body length. Four subspecies are recognised, but there is evidence of clinal variation in body size—with smaller birds in the north and larger in the south—and hence no grounds for subspecies.

Source: Wikipedia

Taxonomy & Classification

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderPhaethontiformes
FamilyTropicbirds (Phaethontidae)
SpeciesPhaethon rubricauda
Species Codesrettro, RTTR

Frequently Asked Questions

What family does the Red-tailed Tropicbird belong to?

The Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) belongs to the Tropicbirds family (Phaethontidae), in the order Phaethontiformes.

How can I identify the Red-tailed Tropicbird?

The red-tailed tropicbird is a seabird native to tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. One of three closely related species of tropicbird (Phaethontidae), it was described by Pieter Boddaert in 1783. Superficially resembling a tern in appearance, it has almost all-white plumage with a bla...

Where can I report a Red-tailed Tropicbird sighting?

You can log sightings of Red-tailed Tropicbird on eBird (ebird.org) using species code rettro, or on iNaturalist.