FaunaHub

Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus)

BirdSeabirdTropical oceans

Red-billed tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) in flight with long white tail streamers.

Red-billed tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) in flight.

Image: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Overview

Tropicbirds (family Phaethontidae) are graceful seabirds of warm tropical and subtropical oceans, instantly recognised by the pair of extremely long, ribbon-like central tail feathers that stream behind them in flight. The red-billed tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus), shown here, is a striking example, mostly white with fine black barring, a bold red bill, and a dark eye-stripe. There are three tropicbird species, all built for a life far out at sea.

Strong, buoyant fliers, tropicbirds wander vast stretches of open ocean and come ashore only to breed on remote islands and cliffs.

Note: details here use the red-billed tropicbird as a reference; the three species differ in bill colour and markings. Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Tropicbirds range widely across tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, spending most of their lives at sea. They come to land only to breed, nesting on oceanic islands, coastal cliffs, and rocky ledges where they can shelter eggs and chicks from the elements and from some predators.

Diet

Tropicbirds are carnivores that feed mainly on fish — especially flying fish — and squid, caught at sea. They typically forage by flying high over the water, then plunge-diving steeply to seize prey at or just below the surface, sometimes pausing to hover before the dive. They often feed far from land, well out over deep water.

Behavior

In the air, tropicbirds are elegant and acrobatic, and pairs perform spectacular aerial courtship displays near their colonies, with the long tail streamers adding to the show. On land they are far more awkward: their legs are set well back, so they shuffle rather than walk and nest in spots they can reach by air. Each pair usually raises a single chick, which is fed at the nest until it is ready to head out to sea on its own.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Tropicbirds are admired by sailors and islanders and feature in the culture of some tropical regions; their tail streamers have been used traditionally in ornamentation. Many populations are stable, but as island-nesting seabirds they are vulnerable to introduced predators (rats and cats), disturbance, and changes in their ocean food supply. Consult authoritative sources for species-specific status.

More photos of the tropicbird

A red-billed tropicbird at a nesting colony.

Red-billed tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus).

Image: Nicolas Völcker, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently Asked Questions — Tropicbird

What are the tropicbird's long tail feathers for?
The two greatly elongated central tail feathers (streamers) are used mainly in display. Tropicbirds perform elaborate aerial courtship flights near their colonies, and the long streamers enhance these displays; their length and condition may also signal a bird's quality to potential mates.
How do tropicbirds catch their food?
They plunge-dive. A tropicbird flies high over the ocean, then dives steeply to seize prey at or near the surface, sometimes hovering briefly first. Their main foods are fish — especially flying fish — and squid, often taken far out over deep water.
Why are tropicbirds clumsy on land?
Their legs are positioned far back on the body, which is excellent for steering in flight and diving but poor for walking. As a result, tropicbirds can barely walk and instead shuffle along the ground, so they nest in places they can reach directly by air, like cliff ledges and island sites.
Where do tropicbirds live?
They live across the warm tropical and subtropical oceans of the world, spending most of their time far out at sea. They come to land only to breed, nesting on remote oceanic islands and coastal cliffs.

Sources and further reading

Authoritative wildlife references used for general educational context. Conservation status should always be verified against current IUCN Red List data. External links open in a new tab.