Brown Noddy

Anous stolidus Order: CHARADRIIFORMES Family: Skuas, Gulls, Terns, Skimmers (Laridae)
Brown Noddy Portrait
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General

Brown Noddy: Medium-sized tern, all brown except for white forehead blending to gray nape, and small white (lower) half-eye ring. Wedge shaped tail has small notch at tip. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has lighter brown wings, brown forehead and nape, and thin white forehead line.

Range and Habitat

Brown Noddy: Only breeding colony (protected) is in Dry Tortugas. Casual in Gulf of Mexico to Texas, and Gulf Stream to North Carolina outer banks.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"karrk", "arrowk", "eye-ak", "nek nek nek nek nek nekrrr"

Interesting Facts

 The Brown Noddy is the largest member of the noddy family; they weigh twice as much as black noddies.

 Chicks reach adult weight in 18 days. Most chicks outweigh parents in six weeks. They are capable of short flights before reaching full wing development, and will flee if alarmed.

 This species exhibits breeding-site fidelity to an extraordinary degree. Apparently a pair returns to exactly the same nest year after year.

 A group of noddys are collectively known as an "affirmation", "niddle", and "sleepiness" of noddys.



Author

John Schwarz

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Range Map for Brown Noddy

Related Birds

Black Tern
Black Noddy
Sooty Tern
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Family Tern (Laridae)_blue
Species Anous stolidus
Length15 - 16 Inches
Wingspan32 Inches

Brown Noddy

Brown Noddy: Medium tern, brown except for white forehead blending to gray nape, and small white (lower) half-eye ring. Wedge shaped tail has small notch at tip. Black bill is long, slender. Black legs, feet. Strong, swift flight with steady wing beats. Often flies with erratic changes of direction.

● Song: "karrk", "arrowk", "eye-ak", "nek nek nek nek nek nekrrr"

● Foraging & Feeding: Brown Noddy: Sometimes forages in small flocks. Eats small fish or squid picked from surface or caught by diving from surface. Does not plunge- dive. Swims.

● Breeding & nesting: Brown Noddy: Monogamous and colonial. Nest of old tree branches and seaweed, built by both sexes in cacti and bay cedar bushes about 12 feet above ground; one pink-buff egg marked with dark red brown. Incubation ranges from 35 to 38 days and is carried out by both sexes. Young stay in nest 20 days. Both sexes feed by regurgitation. Fledge at about 30 days.

● Similar species: Brown Noddy: Black Noddy is slightly smaller and darker. Sooty Tern is shorter-necked and black and white.

Flight Pattern

Pelagic, flies low over water. Dives from surface to catch food; does not plunge-dive.
Brown Noddy Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Brown Noddy: Only breeding colony (protected) is in Dry Tortugas. Casual in Gulf of Mexico to Texas, and Gulf Stream to North Carolina outer banks.
BreedingMonogamous, Colonial
PopulationFairly common on breeding grounds, Common in restricted range
MigrationMigratory
Weight7 Ounces