This species of tropicbird usually forages alone. It usually dives into waters away from the coastline, diving from the air, at heights up to . It will usually hover over the water before diving. Sometimes, this bird follows predators that feed near the surface, such as dolphins or tuna. The red-billed tropicbird will feed on the fish driven either to or above the surface by the aforementioned predators. It usually forages in warmer waters, though does hunt in areas of cooler currents such as the Gulf of California. The species has also been recorded foraging in salt wedge estuaries.