Red-billed tropic bird

The red-billed tropic bird (Phaethon aethereus) is a seabird that inhabits tropical and subtropical seas. It ranges through the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Persian Gulf, with other populations found in the Caribbean, southern Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans.

The total length of the red-billed tropic bird is 41 inches (105 cm), but this includes the prominent streamers that measure up to 22 inches (55 cm) long. This species is the largest of the tropic birds.

The bird is mainly white but with a black streak running through the eyes and black on the primary flight feathers. There is also black streaking on the back and rump. The bill is reddish-orange with black edges. The streamers are longer in male birds than in female ones.

Red-billed tropic birds are elegant flyers that swoop down over the ocean and catch their food – mainly fish and squid – by diving into the sea. They are agile enough to catch flying fish.

They nest in rocky crevices or in hollows on the ground, producing a single egg that is pinkish with darker markings. They prefer to nest on islands rather than on mainland coasts, as there is then less danger from predators.

© John Welford