This Noddy photographed by Christina Sylvester is something of a puzzle. The more brown body looks like Anous stolidus, but the longer straight bill seems to me more like Anous minutus. However, specimens of both of those common species we have seen in the Marshalls have black legs and feet. The orange legs and feet of this bird are reminiscent of the subspecies Anous minutus melanogenys from Hawaii. Typically these noddies do not travel too far from land, but it is possible a vagrant from Hawaii made it to the Marshalls.
Created 13 January 2019