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Red-tailed Tropicbird
Showing stays that recordRed-tailed Tropicbird10+ stays list it on site or nearby
Species insights

Parks where hosts record the Red-tailed Tropicbird

Stays that give back

Across South Africa

Red-tailed Tropicbird recorded here

Smitswinkel Tented Camp

Red-tailed Tropicbird recorded here

Overseers Mountain Cottage

Red-tailed Tropicbird recorded here

Slangkop Tented Camp

Red-tailed Tropicbird recorded here

Olifantsbos Guest House

Red-tailed Tropicbird recorded here

Langebos Huts

Red-tailed Tropicbird recorded here

Spekboom Tented Rest Camp

Red-tailed Tropicbird recorded here

Nyathi Rest Camp

Red-tailed Tropicbird recorded here

West Coast National Park

Red-tailed Tropicbird recorded here

Matyholweni Rest Camp

Red-tailed Tropicbird recorded here

Addo Rest Camp
More stays nearby

Birder friendly

Coastal Retreat

Dry mountains, ostriches, and Calitzdorp's port wines

See places that give back
The Klein Karoo

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Red-tailed Tropicbird

Hosts have recorded the Red-tailed Tropicbird at stays in or beside Addo Elephant National Park, Table Mountain National Park and West Coast National Park.

How and when to see the Red-tailed Tropicbird

Best hours of the day

  • The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
  • Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.

Where to base yourself

  • Self-driveMalaria-free
    Stays in Eastern Cape
    Eastern Cape
  • Self-driveMalaria-free
    Stays in Western Cape
    Western Cape

Ways to look

Drive yourself

Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.

IUCN Red List

Least Concern

Species

Phaethon rubricauda

Records

3

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

A record means a host has seen the Red-tailed Tropicbird on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.

Which parks and reserves are best for the Red-tailed Tropicbird in South Africa?

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Red-tailed Tropicbird at stays in or beside Addo Elephant National Park, Table Mountain National Park and West Coast National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.

Where can you see the Red-tailed Tropicbird in South Africa?

The Red-tailed Tropicbird is most recorded in Western Cape (100% of records), based on 3 iNaturalist observations. 10 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Red-tailed Tropicbird on site or nearby.

What is the conservation status of the Red-tailed Tropicbird?

The Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

What is the Red-tailed Tropicbird?

The red-tailed tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) is a seabird that nests across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It nests in colonies on oceanic islands. The species is also known by its Maori name, amokura.