White-tailed Tropicbird

Phaethon lepturus

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

76 cm (30") Rare off Atlantic coast from Gulf to North Carolina. Bill most often yellow but may be orange or red. Short black line behind eye. Long tail streamer. Wings show distinctive black stripe. Similar to Red-billed Tropicbird but smaller with no barring on back and wings.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

3 photos

Credit: kansasphoto

Credit: Carla Kishinami

Credit: Stewart Morris

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

White-tailed Tropicbird - Jamaica - 2/18/12

Credit: nesospar

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.

White-tailed Tropicbird

1 rule

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 1

What colour were the WING TIPS ?: White or light 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) · 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 ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Olive (yellowish-green) · 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

result:504-white-tailed-tropicbird:1:1 Source: 504 White-tailed Tropicbird, row 1