From Opus

Phaethon rubricauda

Photo by chiemomo
Photo taken: Lord Howe Island

[edit] Identification

L. 44-47 cm

• White, with pink wash
• Black eye crescent
• Thin, red tail feather
• Bright red bill
• Black feet

[edit] Distribution

Widely in Indian and Pacific Oceans, mostly in tropical and subtropical waters reaching to temperate areas at for example southern Australia.

[edit] Taxonomy

Four subspecies are recognized: melanorhynchos, roseotinctus, rubricauda, and westralis.

[edit] Habitat

Well at sea except when breeding. Breeds on coral atolls with low shrubs or on more rocky islands with cliffs containing cavities, often limestone.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

Its diet includes fish, mostly flying fish, and squid.

[edit] Breeding

It builds a nest in sheltered areas such as the base of a tree or in shrubs or in hole in cliff. 1 brown to purplish black egg is laid, and is incubated by both parents for 39-51 days. The chick is fed by both parents.

[edit] References

1. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019

• List of references

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages
• View more images of this species on the ABID