Blue-footed Booby

Overview

The blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) is a marine bird in the family Sulidae, native to the subtropical and tropical regions of the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is strictly a seabird that only requires land for breeding and rearing young, and it is one of six species of boobies.

Identification

• Average length of 81 cm with a wingspan up to 1.5 m; females are slightly larger than males.
• Light brown neck and head with white streaks, and pure white plumage on the belly and underside.
• Long, pointed, brown wings and distinctive bright blue webbed feet, which are lighter in males and younger birds.
• Yellow eyes, with males having more yellow in their irises than females.

Habitat

The species is distributed along the continental coasts of the eastern Pacific Ocean, from California south to Peru, and breeds on the rocky coasts and islands of the Galápagos, Central, and South America. Approximately half of all breeding pairs nest on the Galápagos Islands, where colonies are formed in bare black lava divots.

Diet

This specialised fish eater feeds on small schooling fish such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and flying fish, along with squid and offal. It forages by plunge-diving into the ocean from heights of 10 to 30.5 m, sometimes swimming underwater, and often hunts in groups of about 12 birds.

Did you know?

The blue color of the bird's feet comes from carotenoid pigments in its diet, acting as a rapid and honest indicator of its health and immunological state. Because duller feet indicate poor health, females continuously monitor their partners' foot colour to adjust their egg size and investment in the brood.