The Brown Noddy is a tropical tern with inverted coloration — dark brown body with a pale gray cap, the opposite of most terns. It is named for its nodding courtship display. It breeds on the Dry Tortugas in Florida and on tropical Pacific islands. Unlike most terns, it picks prey from the water surface rather than diving. It nests in shrubs rather than open sand.
Habitat
Tropical islands and ocean; breeds on the Dry Tortugas, Florida, and Hawaiian Islands
Diet
Small fish picked from the water surface
How common
Uncommon
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