White-Tailed Tropicbird (Phaeton lepturus)

Indonesian-Burung buntut satek putih

Description: medium-sized (41 cm excluding tail streamers) white seabird with trailing, long, white tail streamers. Adult: mainly white with black eyebrow, black wing tips and black bar on upperwing. Immature: lacks stremers and has black barring on upperparts. Iris –dark; bill –yellow; feet –greyish with black webs.

Voice: Rattling ‘tetetete’ and ‘tik’ call in flight and loud screams at nest.

Distribution and status : Tropical and sub-tropical seas of Atlantic. Indian and Pacific oceans. In Bali there are important breeding colonies in the cliffs on Nusa Penida and probably at Ulu Watu. Occasional strays are seen in Javan waters. Breeds in Rongkop (C. Java) and probably Nusa Barung (E. Java).

Habits: flies high over sea with fast wingbeat circling, or twisting and turning sharply to plunge onto food in the sea. Swims in sea with tail cocked. Partly nocturnal.

Diet: Small squids that rise to the sea surface at night, also fish.

Breeding: nests in cliff holes in the sheer cliffs of Nusa Penida. April.

Race: P.l.fulvus

Tropicbirds-Family Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds – Family Phaethontidae

A small family of only three species of beautiful white seabirds characterized by the wedgeshaped tail with its two elongated central streamers. These birds range far out to sea, are excellent divers and plunge readily into the water. They swim with the tail cocked up. They feed largely on squads so are often active at night. In Java there are only two species.
Key to Javan Tropicbirds
Barred juvenile with black beak…………………….Phaethon rubricauda
Barred juvenile with yellow beak……………………………P. lepturus
Adult with red tail streamers………………………………………P. rubricauda
Adult with white tail streamers……………………………….P. lepturus