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closeIUCN Red List history
| Year | Category |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Least Concern |
| 2009 | Least Concern |
| 2008 | Least Concern |
| 2004 | Least Concern |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
Species attributes
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | Does not normally occur in forest |
| Land mass type | Average mass | 675.28 g |
Distribution
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 105,000,000 | |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 105,000,000 | |
| Number of locations | - | |
| Fragmentation | - |
Population & trend
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mature individuals | poor | Estimated | 2009 | |
| Population trend | Stable | - | ||
| Number of subpopulations | - | - | - | |
| Largest subpopulation | - | - | - | |
| Generation length (yrs) | 13 | - | - | - |
| Population justification: The global population is estimated to number > c.32,000 individuals (del Hoyo et al), while the population of Japan has been estimated at < c.100 breeding pairs and < c.50 individuals on migration (Brazil 2009). | ||||
| Trend justification: The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats. | ||||
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Extinct | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Samoa | Unknown | No | |||
| Australia | Native | No | |||
| Bangladesh | Native | No | |||
| Brazil | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| British Indian Ocean Territory | Native | No | |||
| Canada | Native | No | |||
| Chile | Native | No | |||
| China (mainland) | Native | No | |||
| Christmas Island (to Australia) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands (to Australia) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Comoros | Native | No | |||
| Cook Islands | Unknown | No | |||
| Fiji | Vagrant | No | Yes | ||
| French Polynesia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| French Southern Territories | Unknown | No | |||
| Guam (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| India | Native | No | |||
| Indonesia | Native | No | |||
| Japan | Native | No | |||
| Kenya | Vagrant | No | |||
| Kiribati | Unknown | No | |||
| Madagascar | Native | No | |||
| Malaysia | Unknown | No | |||
| Maldives | Unknown | No | |||
| Marshall Islands | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Mauritius | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Mayotte (to France) | Native | No | |||
| Mexico | Native | No | |||
| Micronesia, Federated States of | Native | No | |||
| Mozambique | Native | No | |||
| Nauru | Unknown | No | |||
| New Caledonia (to France) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| New Zealand | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Niue (to New Zealand) | Unknown | No | |||
| Norfolk Island (to Australia) | Native | No | |||
| Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Palau | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Papua New Guinea | Unknown | No | |||
| Peru | Vagrant | No | |||
| Philippines | Native | No | |||
| Pitcairn Islands (to UK) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Réunion (to France) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Samoa | Unknown | No | |||
| Seychelles | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Solomon Islands | Native | No | |||
| Somalia | Unknown | No | |||
| South Africa | Native | No | |||
| Taiwan (China) | Native | No | |||
| Tanzania | Unknown | No | |||
| Thailand | Vagrant | No | |||
| Timor-Leste | Unknown | No | |||
| Tokelau (to New Zealand) | Unknown | No | |||
| Tonga | Native | No | |||
| Tuvalu | Unknown | No | |||
| United States Minor Outlying Islands (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| USA | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Vanuatu | Unknown | No | |||
| Wallis and Futuna Islands (to France) | Native | No | Yes |
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory | IBA Name | IBA link |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Coringa-Herald Reefs |  |
| Australia | Lord Howe Island Permanent Park Preserve (Lord Howe Island IBA) | |
| Chile | Isla Rapa Nui | |
| Chile | Isla Sala y Gómez | |
| Christmas Island (to Australia) | Christmas Island | |
| French Southern Territories | Europa | |
| High Seas | Indian Ocean, Western 50 - Marine | |
| Indonesia | Pulau Manuk | |
| Japan | Iwo islands | |
| Mauritius | Round Island | |
| New Caledonia (to France) | Île Hunter | |
| Norfolk Island (to Australia) | Norfolk Island | |
| Pitcairn Islands (to UK) | Ducie Island | |
| Pitcairn Islands (to UK) | Oeno Island | |
| Seychelles | Aldabra atoll | |
| Seychelles | Cosmoledo atoll | |
| USA | Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge | |
| USA | Lehua Islet | |
| USA | Lehua Islet | |
| USA | Northwestern Hawaiian Islands | |
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Macroalgal/Kelp | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Macroalgal/Kelp | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Seagrass (Submerged) | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Seagrass (Submerged) | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Loose Rock/pebble/gravel | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Rock and Rocky Reefs | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy-Mud | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Subtidal Sandy-Mud | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Oceanic | Epipelagic (0-200m) | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Oceanic | Epipelagic (0-200m) | major | breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 250 m | Occasional altitudinal limits |
Utilisation
| Purpose | Primary form used | Life stage used | Source | Scale | Level | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food (human) | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Food (human) | Whole | Nestlings | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Pets | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | International | Non-trivial | Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Phaethon rubricauda. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013.
This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Current IUCN Red List category | Least Concern |
| Family | Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds) |
| Species name author | Boddaert, 1783 |
| Population size | mature individuals |
| Population trend | Stable |
| Distribution size (breeding/resident) | 105,000,000 km2 |
| Country endemic? | No |
| Links to further information | |
| - Summary information on this species | |
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