Red-tailed Tropicbird
Phaethon rubricauda
LCLeast Concern
- Family
- Tropicbirds (Phaethontidae)
- Order
- Phaethontiformes
Overview
The red-tailed tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) is a seabird native to tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. One of three closely related species of tropicbird (Phaethontidae), it was described by Pieter Boddaert in 1783. Superficially resembling a tern in appearance, it has almost all-white plumage with a black mask and a red bill. The sexes have similar plumage.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to see it
Destination guides featuring this bird
Range and habitat
Countries
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- Chile
- China
- Christmas Island
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Cook Islands
- Ecuador
- Fiji
- French Polynesia
- Guam
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Madagascar
- Maldives
- Marshall Islands
- Micronesia
- Mozambique
- New Caledonia
- New Zealand
- Norfolk Island
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Reunion
- Seychelles
- Timor-Leste
- Tonga
- United States
- Vanuatu
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Red-tailed tropicbird
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
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