Anous stolidus
The Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus) is a captivating pantropical seabird, typically measuring 38-45 cm (15-18 inches) in length with a wingspan of 78-86 cm (31-34 inches) and weighing 170-270 grams. Its plumage is predominantly a rich sooty brown, creating a striking contrast with a distinctive silvery-white cap that extends from the forehead to just behind the eyes, gradually fading into a greyish nape. Key field marks for identification include this pale cap, a long, slender, pointed black bil...
A highly pelagic species, the Brown Noddy primarily inhabits tropical and subtropical oceanic waters, favoring coastal areas, coral reefs, and remote offshore islands for breeding and roosting. While typically found at sea, they come ashore to breed, nesting on sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, or in ...
The diet of the Brown Noddy consists predominantly of small schooling fish, such as anchovies and sardines, as well as squid and various marine invertebrates. They primarily forage by surface-dipping or snatching prey from just below the water's surface, often in association with larger marine pr...
Brown Noddies are highly social, forming dense, noisy colonies that can number in the thousands on remote islands, exhibiting strong fidelity to their breeding sites. They are diurnal, spending daylight hours foraging at sea and returning to colonies or communal roosts in the evenings. Foraging i...
The Brown Noddy boasts an expansive circumtropical and subtropical distribution, inhabiting all major oceans. Its primary breeding range encompasses numerous remote islands and atolls throughout the Pacific Ocean, including the Hawaiian Archipelago, Galapagos, and various Central Pacific islands,...
Least Concern
- The "Noddy" in its name comes from its characteristic head-nodding courtship display, often given as a greeting or during pair-bonding. - Unlike most terns that nest on the ground, Brown Noddies frequently build their nests in trees or shrubs, using guano to cement their structures. - They are ...