Brown Noddy

Overview

The brown noddy, Anous stolidus, is a tropical seabird and the largest of the noddy species. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is also known as the common noddy or noddy tern.

Identification

• Plumage is dark chocolate-brown with a pale-grey or white crown and forehead.
• Distinguished from the black noddy by its larger size and brown rather than black feathers.
• Measures 38–45 cm in length with a wingspan of 75–86 cm.
• Features a narrow incomplete white eye-ring, a long wedge-shaped tail, and dark feet and legs.

Habitat

A tropical seabird with a worldwide distribution, found in the Pacific from Hawaii to the Tuamotu Archipelago and Australia, in the Indian Ocean from the Red Sea to the Seychelles and Australia, and in the Atlantic from the Caribbean to Tristan da Cunha. It is a colonial species that usually nests on elevated situations such as cliffs, or in short trees and shrubs.

Diet

Forages by swooping over the water to catch small squid, molluscs, aquatic insects, and fish such as sardines and anchovies. It also feeds on fruit, mostly the screw pine fruit.

Did you know?

The genus name Anous is Ancient Greek for 'stupid' or 'foolish', and the specific name stolidus is Latin for the same meaning.