(Credit: U. S. Geological Survey)

White-tailed Tropicbird - Phaethon lepturus

Identification Tips:

  1. Length: 26 inches Wingspan: 37 inches
  2. Sexes similar
  3. Pelagic bird only coming ashore to breed
  4. Tern-sized
  5. White head and body
  6. Outer primaries black
  7. Dark eye patch

Adult

  1. Long white tail streamers
  2. Yellow to orange bill
  3. Black diagonal bar on upperside of inner wing

Immature

  1. Lacks tail streamers
  2. Yellow bill
  3. Finely barred back

Similar species:

Adult Red-billed Tropicbird is larger with a slower wingbeat and lacks black patches on upperwing. Immature Red-billed has less distinct barring on the back. Adult Red-tailed Tropicbird also lacks the black patches on the upperwing.