Birds · Charadriiformes · Laridae

Brown Noddy

Anous stolidus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The brown noddy is a tropical tern with uniformly dark brown plumage and a white crown, a reversal of the usual tern pattern. Unlike its relatives it does not plunge-dive: it takes fish and squid from the surface in low flight or while sitting on the water. It breeds on tropical islands throughout the oceans, frequently in trees and shrubs.

Weight

150 g – 270 g

Size

38 cm – 45 cm

Lifespan

26 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanIslandsCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Ocean Islands

68countries 15parks19same family

Fun facts

Its name, noddy, comes from its habit of repeatedly dipping its head in courtship and greeting ceremonies, a nodding that sailors took for assent.
It is so trusting at the colonies that sailors called it the noddy tern and caught it by hand: that lack of fear wiped it out on many frequented islands.
It robs and is robbed: it harries other terns into dropping their catch, and is in turn harried by frigatebirds and skuas the moment it surfaces with a fish.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Tropical waters of every ocean; it breeds on islands, atolls and reefs
Sexual maturity: 3 years
Gestation / incubation: 35 days
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anous_stolidus