Family:
The red-billed tropicbird is like a large, stocky tern with a very long, flexible tail spike. It has white plumage with black wing tips and fine black bars on the back. The tail has black streaks on the shaft and long tail streamers, also with black streaks. The underparts are white with some black on the flanks and outermost primaries and tertials.
On the head, there is grey mottling on the nape and hindneck and a black mask that extends from the just above the lores to the side of the nape. The large, thick bill is red, the legs and part of the feet are orange, while the rest of the feet are black.
Males and females are similar although the male is usually larger and has longer tail streamers.
On land, the red-billed tropic bird is clumsy and unable to stand or walk very well. It pushes itself along on its belly using its wing and feet.
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Red-billed tropicbirds eat mainly fish and squid. It forages by flying high above water before hovering and plunge-diving into water. They will also take flying fish from the air.
Red-billed tropicbirds breed on the tropical islands of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans on island cliff ledges.
