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Red-tailed Tropic Bird

Phaethon rubricauda

Published on Project Noah
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-24.1132, 152.715

Field Notes

Description:

Stunning white wandering sea bird up to around 46cm with additional red tail streamers of 30 to 55cm, red beak, black eye patch, black strips where wings meet body, exquisite pink to red sheen on body feathers, feet pale blue and black. red tail streamers with centre thin black line.

Habitat:

Northern Australian shores and Western Australian shores, also off shore islands. A common bird throughout tropical and subtropical ocean areas of the world. Sometimes found in southern areas of Australia but is also often blown off course and out of usual areas by storms. Nests as this one was in a scrape on the ground.

Notes:

Appears larger in real life and is stunning to see the changing colour shine of pink on pure white feathers.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)

Please consider adding this spotting to the Animal Architecture mission at http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/8082378
Yes, more pictures, but none flying unfortuneately. will post more as I find them. thanks to all who see these and appreciate our wonderful wildlife.
Wish I could see one of these flying too, do you have more pictures?
Photographed
PublishedNovember 14, 2013

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