Seabirds- ORDER: Suliformes
- FAMILY: Sulidae
Basic Description
The Blue-footed Booby has captivated the human imagination for centuries with its mating displayin which its vivid baby-blue feet play a key role. The other part of the name—booby—is reportedly taken from the Spanish for “stupid,” (“bobo”) and refers to these birds’ tameness around people. Like its North Atlantic relative the Northern GannetBlue-footed Boobies catch fish in spectacular dives from high in the air. Watching large flocks pursue shoaling fish can be breathtakingwith hundreds plunging into the ocean at any moment.
More ID InfoFind This Bird
Blue-footed Boobies nest on islands in the tropical eastern Pacific. Though thousands live in Mexico’s Gulf of Californiafinding them in the United States or Canada is challenging. Not surprisingly given its proximity to Mexicocoastal Southern California is the best place to lookas well as the Salton Sea (inland)where birds dispersing from the Gulf of California sometimes turn up. Boobies will sit on just about any object near or above the water and often show no fear of people.
Other Names
- Piquero Camanay (Spanish)
- Fou à pieds bleus (French)
- Cool Facts
- To stay cool in very hot environmentsBlue-footed Boobies sometimes defecate on their feet (a behavior called urohydrosis). They also flutter the skin of their throats (the gular pouch) by rapidly vibrating bones in their throatwhich creates evaporative cooling through the open mouth.
- The blue color of Blue-footed Booby’s feet varies in its intensity. Boobies with bluer feet appear to have more success in finding a mate than birds with duller blue feet. One study looked at foot color in relation to the health of young chicks and found that healthiest chicks tended to have fathers with intensely blue feet—possibly an indication of the father’s ability to keep himself well fed. Although the famous mating display might seem comical to humansthe display of foot color provides critical information on a bird’s health and ability to provide for young.
- The Blue-footed Booby makes no nestbut lays its eggs on bare ground. The incubating birds defecate while on the nestand the eggs become surrounded by a circular wall of excrement.