Brown Noddy

Basic Description

The Brown Noddy is a sleek, powerful tern of tropical and subtropical waters around the world. Adults are chocolate brown, with a bold white forehead that fades to a soft gray nape. Brown Noddies fly on strong wingbeats low over the ocean, searching for small fish and squid that they snatch with their long bills. They breed on small islands in colonies that can reach thousands of pairs, nesting both on the ground and in trees. Some Brown Noddies visit nearby mainland beaches; others disappear after breeding to unknown sites on the open sea.