Mystery Nestling © Lorix Bertling / Macaulay Library

Hello Friend,

This cotton ball grows into a seabird. Can you guess which one?

Newly hatched and already fluffy, this chick still has a lot of growing to do! For now, its parents stay close, tapping the chick’s bill to start mealtime and dribbling partially digested fish into its mouth.  

Here's your hint: this bird’s parent spends most of the year over vast stretches of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It hovers up to 50 meters above the water before plunging straight down to snatch fish from the sea.

Continue scrolling or click the button below to reveal the answer.

Drumroll please! Who's that chick...?

Red-tailed Tropicbird © Lorix Bertling / Macaulay Library

It's a Red-tailed Tropicbird!

This seabird spends most of its time flying high above the ocean, but comes ashore to breed, showcasing dramatic aerial displays and loud calls during courtship.

Red-tailed Tropicbird chicks hatch semi-altricial, meaning they emerge with fluffy down and eyes often open but still rely completely on their parents for food and care.

If you’re captivated by life in the nest, our upcoming course, The Hidden World of Nests and Eggs, is for you. Discover the wonders of nesting biology as you follow eggs hatching into chicks and explore fascinating behaviors from around the globe. Sign up now to be among the first to dive in when the course launches on April 2, 2026. We’re excited to welcome you!

Sincerely,

Your friends at Bird Academy

Upcoming Trivia Event! Are You an Egg-spert?

Southern Lapwing Chick and Egg © Michiel Oversteegen / Macaulay Library

We're kicking off the course release with a trivia game all about nests and eggs! Join NestWatch project leader Robyn Bailey and the Bird Academy team Tuesday, March 31 at 7:00 p.m. EDT/4:00 p.m. PDT for this audience-interactive event. Seats are limited, so be sure to register soon!