Black noddy

The black noddy or white-capped noddy (Anous minutus) is a seabird from the tern family. It is a medium-sized bird with black plumage and a white cap. It resembles the closely related brown or common noddy (A. stolidus), but is smaller with darker plumage, a whiter cap, a longer, straighter beak and shorter tail. It was at one time, and sometimes still is, thought to be identical with this species.

Description

The black noddy is a medium-sized tern with a length of about 37 centimetres (15 in), a wingspan of about 70 centimetres (28 in) and a weight of 98 to 144 grams (3.5 to 5.1 oz). It has black plumage and a whitish cap, a small white crescent under each eye and a white spot above. It has long tapering wings and a truncated tail. The sharply-pointed bill is black as are the feet, which are fully webbed.

Behaviour

These birds may have become known as "noddies" because of the behaviour of both sexes as they constantly dip their heads during their breeding display. They are very tolerant of humans even to the extent that they can be picked up off the nest. They feed on fish and squid which they gather by flying low over the surface of the sea and picking them up. They may associate with other seabirds in areas where predatory fish are driving small fish to the surface.