The red-billed tropicbird is the largest of the three tropicbird species, a group of graceful seabirds best known for the two extremely elongated central tail feathers. Named for its crimson beak, which is stout and slightly downward-curving, the red-billed tropicbird has a mainly white body, and can be distinguished by its black wing tips and fine black barring on the upperparts. There is also a long black stripe through the eye. The male and female are similar in appearance, but the male may have longer tail streamers, while juveniles have a yellow beak, stronger barring on the back, eyestripes that meet on the back of the neck, and lack the long tail streamers. The short legs are set far back on the body, and the feet are webbed.

The red-billed tropicbird is found throughout tropical regions of the eastern Pacific, the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic, Red Sea, Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean, with key populations occurring on the Galapagos and Cape Verde Islands.

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Transient

Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) BREEDS: islands off Culebra (Puerto Rico), Virgin Islands, Lesser Antilles, Tobago, Swan Key (Panama), islands off Venezuela, eastern and southern Atlantic (e.g., off Brazil); eastern Pacific off Mexico (Revillagigedo, Tres Marias, and Isabela islands), Gulf of California (Consag Rock, and San Pedro Martir and San Jorge islands), south to South America (Galapagos, islands from Colombia to Ecuador and Peru, and northern Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and Persian Gulf. Ranges widely in warm oceans.

Length including tail streamers: 90 - 105 cm. Wingspan: 99 - 106 cm. Weight : 700 g.

• Terrestrial
• Marine

Like all tropicbirds, the red-billed tropicbird is highly pelagic, spending most of its time over the open ocean and only coming onto land to breed. Nesting usually occurs on small, remote oceanic islands, in holes in cliffs or beneath rocks, or sometimes amongst vegetation.

Comments: Pelagic. Nests in crevices or holes, usually on cliffs on small islands.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Comments: Eats fishes and squids; dives from air to water surface. Occasionally follows ships and eats flying fishes stirred up by them (Stiles and Skutch 1989).

Feeds alone or in pairs (Hilty and Brown 1986).

The red-billed tropicbird has a strong, energetic flight, using rapid wing-beats rather than gliding or soaring, and it also swims well, with the long tail held up out of the water. Usually foraging alone, it typically flies high above the water, sometimes hovering, before plunge-diving to catch fish or squid, or sometimes taking flying fish from the air. In contrast, it is extremely awkward on land, using the wings to push itself along on its belly.
Breeding occurs in loose colonies, and may take place almost year-round in some areas. The nest is a mere scrape on the ground, and the site may be aggressively defended. A single egg is laid, hatching after 42 to 44 days, with the newly hatched chick having pale grey down and fledging after around 80 to 90 days, after which it is abandoned by the adults. The red-billed tropicbird attains adult plumage at around two to three years, and first breeds at around five years. Lifespan may be as much as 16 years. Although this species does not undergo a regular migration, both adults and juveniles disperse widely outside of the breeding season.

In Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, breeding begins as early as January, continues through spring (Raffaele 1983). Breeds almost year-round in Galapagos. Clutch size is 1. Incubation, by both sexes in turn. lasts 44-45 days. Young leave nest at about 3-4 months (Terres 1980).

Resident breeder.

Least Concern.

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Despite its large distribution, and relatively stable populations in the Galapagos and Cape Verde Islands, the red-billed tropicbird is thought to be the least abundant of the tropicbird species, numbering only around 7,500 individuals. The main threat to this species is predation of adults, eggs and chicks by introduced mammals such as rats, cats and dogs, compounded by increasing development and tourism at breeding sites, and persecution by fishermen in some areas. The difficulty in censusing the red-billed tropicbird, with its dispersed population and generally inaccessible nest sites, has made it difficult to accurately assess its status.