Feeding Behavior

Forages in flight by dipping to take items from surface of water. Sometimes makes shallow plunges for prey just below surface, but not forceful plunge-dives like some terns. Rarely settles on water to feed. At Tortugas, adults nesting close together in colony may fly out to sea to forage together.

Eggs

One. Pale buff, lightly spotted with reddish brown and pale lavender. Incubation is by both sexes, 35-38 days. Young: Both parents feed young, by regurgitation. At Tortugas, adult noddies often forage closer to colony than Sooty Terns, feeding their young more often, and the young mature faster (able to fly at 6-7 weeks).

Young

Both parents feed young, by regurgitation. At Tortugas, adult noddies often forage closer to colony than Sooty Terns, feeding their young more often, and the young mature faster (able to fly at 6-7 weeks).

Diet

Small fish. As far as known, feeds on small fish, often catching them when schools of large predatory fish drive the smaller ones to the surface.

Nesting

Courtship involves bowing and nodding movements (leading to name of "Noddy"); also swift high flight by pairs. Nest: On Tortugas, nest site is in bay cedar or cactus, a few inches to 12' above ground. Nest (built by both sexes) is a platform of sticks and seaweed, often with bits of rock or coral added as lining. Nests may be re-used and added to every year, growing to large size. In some other regions, species nests on cliffs and among stone crevices, laying eggs on bare rock.