It also breeds on some Caribbean islands, and a few pairs have started nesting recently on Little Tobago, joining the red-billed tropicbird colony.

In addition to the tropical Atlantic, it nests as far north as Bermuda, where it is locally called a "longtail".

[5] Its closest relative is the red-tailed tropicbird (P. rubricauda), the split between their ancestors taking place about four million years ago.

[8] The bill colour, pure white back and black wing bar distinguish this species from the red-billed tropicbird.

The white-tailed tropicbird breeds on tropical islands, laying a single egg directly onto the ground or a cliff ledge.

[11] The ancient Chamorro people called the white-tailed tropicbird utak or itak, and believed that when it screamed over a house it meant that someone would soon die or that an unmarried girl was pregnant.