| Family: |
Phaethontidae (tropicbirds) |
| Max. size: |
78 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 850.0 g |
| Environment: |
pelagic; marine |
| Distribution: |
Indo-Pacific and Southern Atlantic. Tropical and subtropical. |
| Diagnosis: |
Culmen: 6.24 cm; tarsus: 2.82 cm; wing: 21.87 cm. |
| Biology: |
Total Length: 30 to 35 cm; Wingspan: 104 cm (Ref. 8812). Length: 78 cm; Wingspan: 107 cm (Ref. 91362). Found <500 km offshore (Ref. 356). Generally pelagic during non-breeding season. Loosely colonial. Solitary at sea (Ref. 96995). Sometimes trail ships (Ref. 91362). Usually forages alone, but occasional with other species, most often far from land (Ref. 122680). Exhibits deep-diving plunge (Ref. 356). Main diet includes flyingfish, but also takes squid, mackerel scads, dolphinfish, truncated sunfish and balloonfish (Ref. 122680). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
(LC); Date assessed: 09 December 2019 Ref. 123251)
|
| Threat to humans: |
|
| Country info: |
|
Source and more info: www.sealifebase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.