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10

Common Noddy

(Anous stolidus)
Alternate name(s): "Brown Noddy", "Greater Noddy"
Size: 38-45 cm; wing span ca. 85 cm
Weight: 160-225 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Common Noddy at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "pileatus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Common Noddy (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Common Noddy (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Common Noddies on the ground (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Near-lateral view of a Common Noddy in coastal shrubs (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2006]

Lateral view of a Common Noddy on a sandy beach (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[North Beach, Lord Howe Island, November 2014]

Close-up lateral view of a Common Noddy on the ground (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Common Noddies congregating on a stony beach (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Near-frontal view of a Common Noddy in flight (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Lateral view of a Common Noddy in flight (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[North Beach, Lord Howe Island, November 2014]

Direct comparison of Common Noddies, upper right, and Black Noddies, lower left (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jul - Jun Eggs: 1 Incubation period: 33 - 35 days Fledging age: 42 - 49 days

Common Noddies can breed any time of the year, with a preference for the dry season in the tropical North (May-October) and for spring in southern locations (August-February).

Nest building: Female & male Incubation: Female & male Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Basket or bowl Material: Seaweeds/leaves or sticks/stones Height above ground: 0 - 3(?) m

Common Noddies can nest both in low trees/vegetation (in which case they use seaweeds, leaves and other plant material) or on the ground (in which case they use sticks and stones).

Common Noddy on its nest (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Common Noddy on its nest, seen from a different angle (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 52 x 36 mm Colour: White, with with sparse near-black speckles Shape: Long tapered oval

Here one can see that there is one egg in the Common Noddy's nest (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Common Noddy incubating its egg (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2006]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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