Perched among the wind-swept cliffs and secluded coves of Little Tobago, the Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) is one of the island’s most striking and celebrated seabirds. Recognized by its snow-white plumage, bold black eye markings, and vivid scarlet bill, this elegant species is a symbol of the island’s rich natural heritage.

These birds are pelagic by nature, spending the majority of their lives soaring over the open ocean, only returning to land to breed. Little Tobago offers a rare opportunity to observe them up close during nesting season, as they shelter in rocky crevices and under forest cover, undisturbed in this protected sanctuary.

Little Tobago itself holds a unique place in Caribbean ornithology. Acquired in 1908 by British conservationist Sir William Ingram, the island was initially a refuge for the endangered Greater Bird of Paradise. Though that effort was short-lived, the island soon flourished as a safe haven for native and migratory seabirds, with the Red-billed Tropicbird among its most treasured inhabitants.