PHAETHONTIFORMES: Phaethontidae

Phaethon rubricauda  

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)
click photo for larger image
© Kay Parkin 2012
Lord Howe Island, NSW (Mar, 2012)

I was told by my friend Ian, a local of Lord Howe Island, that people have lost their lives scaling the cliffs in order to collect the beautiful red tail feathers of the tropicbird. Looking at the cliffs where took these photos I can believe that!!

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird Chick

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird

Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)

Red-tailed Tropicbird