Habitat
Brown Noddies breed on small islands in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. On some islands they nest on cliffs or on the ground, while at other sites, most nests are in trees or shrubs. During both the breeding and nonbreeding seasons, Brown Noddies may occur in the waters around their breeding islands, as well as on beaches along the nearby mainland. After nesting, some individuals disperse far out to sea, where virtually nothing is known about these birds.
Back to topFood
Brown Noddies feed mainly on small fish and squid. They frequently forage in mixed-species flocks that congregate over schools of predatory fish that drive small fish to the ocean surface. Brown Noddies often pluck prey from the surface as they fly low over the water. They also feed by pattering their feet on the water surface while hovering, and sometimes catch prey while sitting on the water.
Back to topNesting
Nest Placement
Placed on bare rock, coral, sand, gravel, soil, and cliff ledges, or in trees and shrubs.
Nest Description
Nest structure varies considerably: There might be no nest at all (with egg laid directly on unprepared rock, mud, sand, or gravel); a simple scrape with no nest material; a collection of shells, coral, twigs, bone fragments, or pieces of plastic arranged on the ground or cliff ledge; or loosely arranged twigs or sticks on a tree branch, sometimes lined with seaweed, shells, and coral.
Nesting Facts
| Egg Description: | Chalky off-white with bold brown markings and less distinct gray to lilac markings. |
Behavior
Brown Noddies are strong, fast fliers, often coursing low over the ocean and suddenly swooping down to pluck prey from the surface. They sometimes sit on the water, and are capable of swimming, but they often use flotsam, jetsam, and the backs of sea turtles as perches at sea. Brown Noddies are social birds, breeding in colonies that range from a few to thousands of pairs. They roost in groups of tens or hundreds of birds, especially outside the breeding season. Pairs are monogamous and usually nest together in the same location from year to year. Both adults help in nest construction (when a nest is built), incubation, brooding, and feeding the single chick. The young bird typically fledges after 6–7 weeks, but often returns to the nest site after its first flight. Parents continue to feed the fledgling for up to 100 days after it has first left the nest.
Back to topConservation
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists Brown Noddy's conservation status as Least Concern and estimates the global population size at 800,000 to 1.4 million mature individuals.
Back to topCredits
BirdLife International. 2020. Anous stolidus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T22694794A168889812. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22694794A168889812.en.
Floyd, T. (2025). Field Guide to the Birds of the United States and Canada. Eighth edition. National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.
Mlodinow, S. G., J. W. Chardine, R. D. Morris, M. Gochfeld, J. Burger, G. M. Kirwan, and E. Garcia (2025). Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus), version 2.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman and M. G. Smith, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.brnnod.02
Pratt, H.D., Bruner, P.L. and Berrett, D.G. (1987). A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey.