Photo: Brocken Inaglory / Brocken Inaglory / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-tailed Tropicbird
Phaethon rubricauda
Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) is a member of the Phaethontidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 672 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Phaethontiformes
- Family Phaethontidae Tropicbirds
- Genus Phaethon
- Species rubricauda
Where it lives
TrO, IO, PO tropical and subtropical islands of South Indian and Pacific oceans
Quick facts
- Weight
- 672 g
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Phaethontidae
- Order
- Phaethontiformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-tailed Tropicbird hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Red-tailed Tropicbird is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) is a member of the Phaethontidae family, within the order Phaethontiformes. It is found across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers TrO, IO, PO tropical and subtropical islands of South Indian and Pacific oceans.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 672 g, with a wing length of about 33.1 cm and a tail of around 10 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 188,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-tailed Tropicbird?
The Red-tailed Tropicbird is a large bird that weighs around 672 g.
Where does the Red-tailed Tropicbird live?
The Red-tailed Tropicbird is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering TrO, IO, PO tropical and subtropical islands of South Indian and Pacific oceans, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Red-tailed Tropicbird belong to?
The Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) belongs to the Phaethontidae family, in the order Phaethontiformes.
What does the Red-tailed Tropicbird eat?
The Red-tailed Tropicbird hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Red-tailed Tropicbird migrate?
The Red-tailed Tropicbird is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Red-tailed Tropicbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Red-tailed Tropicbird make?
1 real field recording of the Red-tailed Tropicbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-tailed Tropicbird's range?
The Red-tailed Tropicbird has a mapped global range of about 188,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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