Essential Information on the Red-Billed Tropicbird
The Red-Billed Tropicbird is found across various locations in the Pacific and Atlantic tropics, with the Galápagos being a significant population center. These seabirds spend most of their time far from land, only coming ashore to breed and nest. They prefer remote and secluded places, which is why they have been coming to the Galápagos for thousands of years.
At first glance, the Red-Billed Tropicbird resembles terns and similar seabirds, but their distinctive elongated tail streamers set them apart. While floating on the ocean surface, they hold their long tails above the water, giving them a unique appearance. They also have a crimson beak and a jet-black stripe through their eye, making them striking in flight.
Strong swimmers, Red-Billed Tropicbirds hunt by plunge-diving from height to catch fish or squid. This specialization makes them awkward on land, where they can barely walk and must use their wings to push themselves along their bellies. Their vulnerability on land underscores the importance of remote, untouched breeding sites like the Galápagos.
In the Galápagos, Tropicbirds can breed year-round, nesting in colonies in rocky crevices or on sheltered bare ground. While the Red-Billed Tropicbird population is stable in the archipelago, globally, they are the most at-risk among tropicbirds. An estimated 7,500 remain worldwide, with a significant percentage residing in the Galápagos.
