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Nesting takes place in loose colonies on oceanic islands; the nest itself is a scrape found on a cliff face, in a crevice, or on a sandy beach.
VIC: Vulnerable; SA: Vulnerable
Indigenous: Bosun-Bird, Red-Tailed Tropic-Bird, Red-Tailed Bos'n-Bird
At a glance
FamilyTropicbirds
SizeSmall
RarityUncommon
HabitatClosed forest, Grassland, Open woodland, Shrubland, and Sparse woodland
Best timeMost reliable in New South Wales from March.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Peter Boesman
Range map
Range map
168visible hotspots
1006visible records
4states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
A medium-sized, mostly white seabird with a red beak. The long red tail streamers can be difficult to see at a distance. Rarely seen inland. Larger and heavier-bodied than White-tailed Tropicbird.
Behavior
At sea usually flies high above the water. Pairs and groups perform backward-wheeling courtship displays while giving loud squawks.
Gallery