About Anous minutus F.Boie, 1844
Taxonomy and size
The black noddy (Anous minutus F.Boie, 1844) measures 35–37 cm (14–15 in) in length, has a wingspan of 66–72 cm (26–28 in), and weighs 98–144 g (3.5–5.1 oz).
Plumage
It has dark body plumage with a pale crown, a small white crescent below each eye, and a white spot above each eye.
Wing and tail structure
Its wings are long and tapering, and it has a truncated tail.
Bill morphology
Its sharply pointed bill is black.
Foot characteristics
Its feet are fully webbed; most subspecies have black feet, but the subspecies melanogenys has orange feet.
Global distribution
This species is distributed across tropical and subtropical seas worldwide, with widespread colonies in the Pacific Ocean, and more scattered colonies across the Caribbean, central Atlantic, and northeast Indian Ocean.
At-sea range
At sea, black noddies are typically seen close to their breeding colonies, within 80 km of shore.
Roosting behavior
They return to colonies or other islands to roost overnight.
