Blue-footed BoobySula nebouxii
Blue-footed BoobySula nebouxii.
Blue-footed BoobySula nebouxii. Photograph taken in the greater Zihuatanejo areaGuerreroMarch 2018. Photograph courtesy of Ron WoheauZihuatanejo.
Blue-footed BoobySula nebouxii. Photograph taken in the coastal area of YavarosSonoraNovember 2018. Photograph and identification courtesy of David F SmithAlamosSonora.
Blue-footed BoobySula nebouxii. Photographs taken in MazatlánSinaloaApril 2024. Photographs courtesy of Dr. Tom BartolCarlsbadCalifornia. Identifications courtesy of Bob HillisIvinsUtah.
Background and Identification
The Blue-footed BoobySula nebouxii, is a member of the Sulidae Family of Boobies and Gannets. This distinctive seabird is easily identified by its bright blue feetthe feature that catalyzed its name. These bright blue feet play a crucial role in courtship displays during the breeding season. Their mating dancewhere males display their blue feet in a high-stepping strutis a well-known and fascinating behavior. this technique is called “foot rocking”and is a comical spectacle to watch. Blue-footed Boobies are social birdsoften seen in large colonies. They are expert diversplunging into the water from great heights to catch fish. In MexicoBlue-footed Boobies are called Bobo Patas Azules and Bobo Patiazul.
They are mid-sized in statureand females are slightly larger than males. The average length of the Blue-footed Booby is 90 cm (2 feet 11 inches). Adult Blue-footed Boobies have brown upperpartswhite underpartsand a pale head and neck streaked with brown. Their longpointed wings and tapered tail are well-suited for their maritime life. The bill is sharp and grayish-blueand their eyes are yellow with a distinctive blue ring.
Habitat and Geographical Range
Blue-footed Boobies primarily inhabit tropical and subtropical regions along the Pacific coast. They are found on islands and coastal areas where they can nest on bare ground or cliffs and often roost on rocky islets and shorelines in areas with little or no vegetation. Key habitats include rocky shoressandy beachesand islands with sparse vegetation. They prefer areas with abundant fish populations for feeding.
GeographicallyBlue-footed Boobies are most commonly found in the Galápagos Islandswhere they are a major attraction. Their range extends along the western coast of the Americasfrom California and the Gulf of California in the north to Peru in the south. They are also present on other islands off the coasts of Central and South America. In Mexicothey are found in the coastal regions within the Sea of Cortez and within the Pacific Slope along the east coast of Baja and in the states of Sinaloa and Sonora always in site of the ocean.
Common Misidentifications
The Blue-footed Booby can be confused with other booby speciessuch as the Brown BoobySula leucogaster, and the Red-footed BoobySula sula. The Brown Booby has dark brown upper parts and a white bellylacking the striking blue feet. The Red-footed Booby also has colorful feetbut they are usually more brownish-red in color. The Red-footed Booby also varies greatly in plumage colorationfrom white to brown.
Conservation Status
From a conservation perspectivethe Blue-footed Booby is categorized by the IUCN as Least Concern with stable populations in their range. Key threats to the Blue-footed Boobies include overfishingwhich reduces their primary food sourcesand climate changewhich affects ocean temperatures and fish distribution. Human disturbanceespecially from tourism in the Galápagos Islandscan also impact their breeding success. Conservation efforts focus on protecting critical nesting and feeding habitatsregulating fisheries to ensure sustainable fish populationsand managing tourism to minimize disturbance.