Phaethontidae<\/strong><\/span>:<\/span> Tropicbirds<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Red-tailed Tropicbird<\/a>.\u00a0 \u00a9 Lainie Berry<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t The tropicbirds are a small, distinctive group of seabirds that occur throughout the tropical oceans.\u00a0 Adult tropicbirds have a unique, elegant appearance: crisp white-and-black plumage, with two greatly elongated streaming tail feathers, and graceful, buoyant flight.<\/p> The tropicbirds were long believed to be related to several other seabird families, including cormorants, boobies, and frigatebirds (all members of the order Suliformes<\/em>), but genetic studies have revealed that their closest living relatives are either the peculiar Kagu and Sunbittern (the order Eurypygiformes<\/em>), the pigeons and doves, or the sandgrouse.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Identification<\/strong><\/span><\/p> Adult tropicbirds can be challenging to identify if seen only from below, as all have entirely white underparts and the bill and tail coloration may be difficult to ascertain against the sky.\u00a0 The adults\u2019s dorsal patterns are diagnostic when seen clearly.<\/p> Immature tropicbirds, which lack the streamers and have an unkempt appearance, are easily confused with large terns in their nonbreeding plumages.\u00a0 The tropicbirds can generally be recognized by their heavier body shape and more direct flight.\u00a0 As with adults, the dorsal patterns are diagnostic, but the differences are subtle and may require a close study.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Taxonomy<\/strong><\/span><\/p> The internal systematics of the Phaethontidae<\/em> have traditionally been regarded as stable: a trio of distinctive pantropical species.\u00a0 Recently, however, there is an ongoing reassessment of bird classifications received from prior centuries, especially the status of similar but distinguishable forms, now giving higher priority to distinctions and the appreciation of diversity.\u00a0 In this vein, Howell and Zufelt (2019) propose to subdivide White-tailed and Red-billed Tropicbirds into two species each, expanding the family from three species to five.\u00a0 These cases are not equivalent: one is easy and the other is hard\u2014but both proposals have sufficient basis to be accepted, as they are here. For a detailed discussion of reasons that support the adoption of these proposals, see Frontiers of Taxonomy:<\/u> Split the Tropics!<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t Yellow-billed Tropicbird<\/strong> (Phaethon lepturus<\/em>)<\/a><\/p> Catesby\u2019s Tropicbird<\/strong> (Phaethon catesbyi<\/em>)<\/a><\/p> Red-billed Tropicbird<\/strong> (Phaethon aethereus<\/em>)<\/a><\/p> Arabian Tropicbird<\/strong> (Phaethon indicus<\/em>)<\/a><\/p> Red-tailed Tropicbird<\/strong> (Phaethon rubricauda<\/em>)<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t References<\/strong><\/span><\/p> Boyd, J.H., 2016. Taxonomy in Flux: Mirandornithes & Ardeae I. http:\/\/jboyd.net\/Taxo\/List8.html#phaethontidae<\/a>. (Posted December 15, 2016. Accessed August 16, 2020.)<\/p>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/birdfinding.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/RedtailedTropicbird13.jpg\")
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