Red-billed Tropicbird
Credit: Dominic Sherony

North American field guide

Red-billed Tropicbird

Phaethon aethereus

Also known as:Boatswain Bird

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Identification

Field notes

102 cm (40") Rare in both Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Red bill. Black line behind eye. Black upper wing primaries or wing tips. Long white tail streamers. It has barring on its back and upper wings unlike the similar White-tailed Tropicbird in the Atlantic Ocean.

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Videos

1 video
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 1 rule

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Red-billed Tropicbird

1 rule
Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 1
What colour were the WING TIPS ?
Black or dark gray · Unknown
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Long · Very Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
Pointed or wedge-shaped · Forked · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Hooked · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Crow-sized · Goose-sized · Larger than a goose
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Gull-like, or a Seabird
What type of environment was the bird seen in?
Open ocean; beyond sight of land · Only or mostly in flight over saltwater
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States
result:506-red-billed-tropicbird:1:1 Source: 506 Red-billed Tropicbird, row 1