Photo: Glen Fergus / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Shorebirds

Brown Noddy

Anous stolidus

Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus) — Shorebirds, Gulls & Auks of Oceans & Seabirds.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 20 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Brazil Birds of Colombia Birds of Costa Rica Birds of Ecuador Birds of Indonesia Birds of India Birds of Japan Birds of Kenya Birds of Mexico

By family

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Australia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Brazil Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Colombia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Costa Rica Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Ecuador Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Indonesia Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of India Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Japan Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Kenya Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of Mexico

See what's near you right now

The Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus) is a member of the Laridae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 178 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Laridae Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Genus Anous
Species stolidus

Where it lives

TrO widespread on tropical and subtropical islands of all oceans

Oceans & Seabirds

Quick facts

Weight: 178 g
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Laridae
Order: Charadriiformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Brown Noddy 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 Brown Noddy is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus) belongs to the Laridae family of the order Charadriiformes. Its range spans Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers TrO widespread on tropical and subtropical islands of all oceans.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 178 g, with a wing length of about 26.5 cm and a tail of around 14.5 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 10.2 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Brown Noddy — Begging call

Recorded by Dries Van de Loock Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Brown Noddy?

The Brown Noddy is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 178 g.

Where does the Brown Noddy live?

The Brown Noddy is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering TrO widespread on tropical and subtropical islands of all oceans, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Brown Noddy belong to?

The Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus) belongs to the Laridae family, in the order Charadriiformes.

What does the Brown Noddy eat?

The Brown Noddy hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Brown Noddy migrate?

The Brown Noddy is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Brown Noddy 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 Brown Noddy make?

1 real field recording of the Brown Noddy — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Brown Noddy's range?

The Brown Noddy has a mapped global range of about 10.2 million km².