This species feeds mostly on fish, especially flying-fish, large quantities of squid and occasionally crustaceans. Prey is caught by plunge-diving, but flying-fish can be taken in flight. Breeding occurs seasonally in loose colonies on small, remote oceanic islands mostly on inaccessible cliffs. No regular migrations are known; adults can be found in the vicinity of colonies all year round (del Hoyo et al. 1992).

The Red-tailed Tropicbird breeds in tropical and subtropical areas of the Indian and Pacific ocean (Schreiber and Schreiber 2020). It typically breeds on islands, but can also be found on the south-west coast of Australia.