From Opus

a.k.a. Boatswain Bird

Phaethon aethereus

Photo by Steve G.
Photo taken: Little Tobago Island, Trinidad and Tobago.

[edit] Identification

L. 48cm
Ws. 1m

• Very long central tail feathers
  • Can give bird total length of 96cm
• Black primaries
• Black eye patch
• Red bill

Sexes are similar; males average longer-tailed

[edit] Juvenile

• Lack tail streamers
• Greyer-backed
• Yellow bill

[edit] Distribution

It occurs in the Caribbean, tropical Atlantic, southern Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Indian Ocean.

[edit] Taxonomy

Three subspecies are recognized: aethereus, mesonauta, and indicus. The Indian Ocean race of the Red-billed Tropicbird, P. a. indicus, was at one time considered a full species, the Lesser Red-billed Tropicbird.

[edit] Habitat

Tropical islands.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

A single egg is laid directly onto the ground or a cliff ledge.

[edit] Diet

They feed on fish and squid, but are poor swimmers.

[edit] External Links