Tropicbirds

(Family Phaethontidae)

These gull-like birds have long tapering wings and the adults are characterised by long central tail streamers. Three species in Australia, none of which are endemic. The Red-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon rubricauda (2 subspecies) and the White-tailed Tropicbird P. lepturus (3 subspecies) are resident, with the Christmas Island White-tailed Tropicbird P. l. fulvus not recorded breeding anywhere else in the world. The Red-billed Tropicbird P. aethereus has been recorded as a vagrant.