The Brown Noddy Population at the Dry Tortugas

With the warmer weather moving through the Keys, the Dry Tortugas National Park is once again seeing several changes taking place in the bird world. The Keys are so fortunate to have their great bird diversity, and our birdwatchers were lucky enough this week to witness the arrival of the Brown Noddy, which is our featured bird of the week.

Generally, about 4500 of these beautiful seabirds breed on Bush Key within the Dry Tortugas National Park, usually arriving with the Sooty Terns. Unlike the Sooty Tern, however, the Brown Noddies are generally inclined to stay a little longer, even as late as October. From the tern family, this chocolate-brown seabird carries a medium size and has a very distinctive white and grey forehead. Its black bill is long and slender. And, while the female is similar in appearance, it is considerably smaller and lighter. The noddy's very unique bird call is similar to that of a young crow.

While hovering just above the water, the Brown Noddy searches for squid and small fish that dwell right below the surface, snatching their prey during flight or grabbing it while sitting on the surface of the water, unlike most terns that prefer diving for their food. Occasionally, you will find the noddy perched on the head of a pelican hoping to catch a fish escaping from the bill of the unsuspecting bird.

Interestingly, the noddies actually nod at one another, in a sort of courtship ritual. Courtship feeding is performed by the female begging for food from the male. The male may courtship feed several times a day. "Fish flights" occur, in which one bird transfers a fish to its partner.

The Brown Noddy nests only on Florida's Dry Tortugas in the United States. Only laying a single egg once a year, the Brown Noddy constructs elaborate nests from vegetation and twigs, and sometimes, shells and bits of coral line their nests. They enjoy nesting closely together in their tightly packed colonies. It is uncommon to see these guys outside of the Keys, but, there are the occasional birds blown outside the area due to storms or during hurricane season. Both adult birds incubate the egg for around 35 days. After the hatching, the responsibility of caring for the young chick is shared by both adults, providing warmth and shelter from rain, wind, and sand until it reaches about eight weeks old.

The population trend of the Brown Noddy seems to be stable here at the Dry Tortugas. So, break out your sunscreen and come visiting. Make this your next outdoor excursion and witness Florida's fascinating birdlife. You don't want to miss these beautiful creatures. It will make you a better birder.