Tropicbird, Outer Banks, NC (1 Viewer)

[delia todd]

I've been asked to confirm with you that this is, indeed, a Red-billed Tropicbird and not a White-tailed.

I understand it is/was unusual for a Red-billed to be so far north but it does appear to have a red bill.

It was originally identified as a White-tailed.

https://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=367219

Cheers guys.

 

[Steve Lister]

Red-billed Tropicbird - where did frigatebird come from?

Steve

 

[delia todd]

Ooops:

If I say the wrong thing put it down to Senior Moments

Thanks Steve... sorry, I'll re-title the thread.

 

[Muppit17]

I've been asked to confirm with you that this is, indeed, a Red-billed Tropicbird and not a White-tailed.

I understand it is/was unusual for a Red-billed to be so far north but it does appear to have a red bill.

It was originally identified as a White-tailed.

https://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=367219

Cheers guys.

No question on the identity.

There is a good resource on seabirds on the outer banks and the offshore gulf stream (North Atlantic conveyor) here https://patteson.com/seabird-diversity/

Brian Patteson runs regular pelagics out of Hatteras. I am not sure they would say that Red-billed is that unusual, but certainly scarcer onshore.

 

[delia todd]

Thanks very much for all that info Muppit.

 

[Nutcracker]

A small box-filling error on the gallery page needs correcting; currently says:
Scientific Name: White-tailed tropicbird
Equipment: phaethon lepturus


Should of course read:
Scientific Name: Phaethon aetherus
Equipment: Camera

 

[delia todd]

Thanks Michael, done.

Though it's Phaethon aethereus

 

[Nutcracker]

Thanks Michael, done.

Though it's Phaethon aethereus

Ooops! Yes, aethereus!

 

[jmepler]

There was a Red-billed Tropicbird reported at the salt pond just south of the lighthouse from May 24 through June 10, 2011. I would think that a bird that had been hanging around that general area for 18 days could have been there for longer. This picture was taken 19 days before the first report.

Red-billed has historically been much more common at Cape Hatteras than White-tailed as well.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

No question on the identity.

There is a good resource on seabirds on the outer banks and the offshore gulf stream (North Atlantic conveyor) here https://patteson.com/seabird-diversity/

Brian Patteson runs regular pelagics out of Hatteras. I am not sure they would say that Red-billed is that unusual, but certainly scarcer onshore.

I've been on about 8 pelagics out of the Outer Banks, both from Manteo and Hatteras. I've actually seen 3 different Red-billed Tropicbirds on those, including 2 on one trip.

 

[KC Foggin]

It sure matches up with the images I checked out on Google!