Seals, octopuses, jellyfish and more

Red-tailed tropicbird

Phaethon rubricauda

A white bird with two red streamers crosses the sky above the cliffs. Tropicbirds come and go as they please, and no sighting is a promise.

Least ConcernIn 28 Atlas countries

Least Concern (IUCN, listing checked October 2026) means it is not close to being threatened worldwide. I could not open the IUCN page for the assessment year.

Red-tailed tropicbird in Glendowie, Auckland, New Zealand, iNaturalist research-grade observation — Photo: Shaun Lee, iNaturalist, CC BY

Red-tailed tropicbird in Aitutaki, Cook Islands, iNaturalist research-grade observation — Photo: Geoff Shuetrim, iNaturalist, CC BY

Red-tailed tropicbird in Honolulu, HI 96825, USA, iNaturalist research-grade observation — Photo: Damien Wallace, iNaturalist, CC0

Red-tailed tropicbird in Queensland, AU, iNaturalist research-grade observation — Photo: Lawrence Hylton, iNaturalist, CC BY

Photos show the species, not always the places on this page.

Length

About 95 to 104 cm (37 to 41 in) including the tail streamers; wingspan about 111 to 119 cm (44 to 47 in)

Weight

About 800 g (1.8 lb), as given in one general source

Next to a person

Wingspan about as wide as an adult's outstretched arms, and a little lighter than a 1 kg bag of sugar

What it eats

Mostly flying fish and squid, caught by plunge-diving from about 6 to 50 m above the water to depths of about 4.5 m. It sometimes takes flying fish in the air.

Around people

Quiet, watch from afar

How it lives

Pairs are monogamous and nest in loose colonies on oceanic islands. The nest is a shallow scrape in shaded sand, a rock crevice or under a shrub, usually within about 1 m of the shade edge. One egg is incubated by both parents for about 42 to 46 days, and the chick flies after about 67 to 91 days.

Where it goes

The species ranges from East Africa through Indonesia to Hawaii and Chile and breeds on many oceanic islands. The sources I read do not describe set seasonal routes.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

Globally the IUCN lists it as Least Concern. In Australia it is described as near threatened because of declines and introduced pests such as rats, cats and yellow crazy ants. Phillip Island near Norfolk Island is one of 12 seabird breeding sites listed there. I found no global population count.

Meet it respectfully

Watch from a distance, especially near nesting sites. Never approach, touch or flush birds from nests or chicks, and never feed them. Introduced predators and human contact are known problems for this species, so follow biosecurity and park rules. I did not read visitor rules for Phillip Island, so follow your guide.

Fun fact

Tap the bulb to light it up.

Sources for this page

Facts checked 5 October 2026. Photos: Unsplash licence, or Creative Commons as shown on each photo.

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