Five subspecies are currently recognized:
P. l. lepturus
P. l. fulvus
P. l. dorotheae - breeds in the Tropical Pacific.
P. l. catesbyi - breeds Bermuda and Caribbean.
P. l. ascensionis
Where and When
In a post to ID-Frontiers (26
June 2002), Louis Bevier affirmed that two subspecies of White-tailed Tropicbird
have been documented in North America: P. l. catesbyi which is regularly
encountered in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic Coast (principally
North Carolina to Florida) and dorotheae which is accidental to California
and Arizona (at least 3 records: s.outhern California 24 May-23 Jun 1964, 300-500
miles off southern California Dec 1989, and in central Arizona 22 Aug 1980).
Photographs on the web
Adult in flight View of uppersurface, taken by Tony Palliser on Christmas Island in May
of adults and subadults Taken by Brian Patteson in Gulf Stream off North
Carolina in July and August.