White-tailed Tropicbird
A species of Tropicbirds, Also known as Longtail Scientific name : Phaethon lepturus Genus : Tropicbirds
White-tailed Tropicbird, A species of Tropicbirds
Also known as:
Longtail
Botanical name: Phaethon lepturus
Genus: Tropicbirds
Content
Description People often ask General Info
Photo By Francesco Veronesi , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The adult white-tailed tropicbird is a slender, mainly white bird, 71–80 cm long including the very long central tail feathers, which double its total length. The wingspan is 89–96 cm. The bird has a black band on the inner wing, a black eye-mask, and an orange-yellow to orange-red bill. The bill colour, pure white back and black wing bar distinguish this species from the red-billed tropicbird. The white-tailed tropicbird breeds on tropical islands, laying a single egg directly onto the ground or a cliff ledge. It disperses widely across the oceans when not breeding, and sometimes wanders far. It feeds on fish and squid, caught by surface plunging, but this species is a poor swimmer. The call is a high screamed keee-keee-krrrt-krrt-krrt. Sexes are similar, although males on average are longer tailed, but juveniles lack the tail streamers, have a green-yellow bill, and a finely barred back. The white-tailed tropicbird does not have a yearly breeding cycle; instead, breeding frequency depends on the climate and availability of suitable breeding sites. The bird can reproduce 10 months after the last successful breeding, or 5 months after an unsuccessful one. 
Size
71 - 81 cm
Colors
Black
White
Life Expectancy
16 years
Nest Placement
Ground
Feeding Habits
White-tailed Tropicbird primarily feed on fish, employing aerial dives to capture prey. They showcase distinctive plunge-diving techniques, often around reefs or clear waters. Unique dietary adaptations include exceptional eyesight and agility for spotting and catching fish mid-flight.
Habitat
White-tailed Tropicbird primarily inhabits tropical and subtropical pelagic waters, often found near coastlines for foraging. These birds breed on remote oceanic islands, favoring cliffs or other sites that facilitate easy take-off. White-tailed Tropicbird displays versatility in nesting locations compared to related species, utilizing tree hollows, limestone pinnacles, and occasionally man-made structures, adapting to various inaccessible or elevated spots.
Nest Behavior
Isolated pair or colony nesting varies by location availability. White-tailed Tropicbird participates in aerial courtship displays and nests in spring and summer, or year-round on some islands. It lays a single egg directly on its chosen nesting surface without added materials.
Nest Characteristics
White-tailed Tropicbird's nest is typically in a crevice or hole in rock, on a ledge, or under dense vegetation. In tropical regions, it might nest in a hollow tree or log. The site, often reused annually, features no constructed nest, and the egg is laid on bare ground.
Dite type
Piscivorous
People often ask
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Behavior
The white-tailed tropicbird feeds mainly on flying fish, squid and crabs. It catches its prey by diving from height of up to 20 meters, as do gannets. However, flying fish are caught in flight. It usually feeds in pairs. Prey is often detected by hovering above the surface as the bird swallows it before taking off.
Species Status
Population trends are unknown. In Mexico it is not under any category of protection, and no specific conservation programs for these tropicbirds are known. However, the species is found in various conservation programs as an American waterfowl. It is recommended to conduct studies on the biology of this species at sea, as well as monitoring of breeding colonies. Globally it is considered a species of Least Concern.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Tropicbirds Family
Tropicbirds Genus
Tropicbirds Species
White-tailed Tropicbird 
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