Like other boobies, blue-foots nest on land at night. When day breaks, they take to the air in search of seafood, sometimes fishing in
cooperative groups
. They may fly far out to sea while keeping a keen eye out for schools of
small fish
, such as anchovies.
Are blue-footed boobies related to penguins?
4. They’re related to pelicans Blue footed boobies are one of six species of boobies. All six species belong to the order Pelecaniformes, the order of birds that also includes pelicans.
How big are blue-footed boobies?
An adult blue-footed booby is roughly the size of a goose: 32 to 34 inches long with a wingspan of nearly 5 feet The females are slightly larger and heavier than the males, who weigh on average about 3.25 pounds.
What is a group of blue-footed boobies called?
A group of boobies is known as a “hatch,” “trap,” or “congress.” 6. Blue-footed boobies have a special air sac in their skulls to protect their brains.
What eats blue-footed boobies?
Predation. On the
galápagos islands
, the only predator of Blue-footed Boobies is the Galapagos Hawk (Buteo galapagoensis), the only diurnal bird of prey of the islands.
How many blue-footed boobies are left in the world?
Around 80,000 blue-footed boobies are currently left in the world. The majority of these
breeding pairs nest
in the Galapagos Islands and their population is quite stable.
How does a female blue-footed booby choose a mate?
How does a female blue-footed booby choose a mate? Females often choose a mate with the brightest feet ; the bluer the feet, the more attractive the mate.
What do blue-footed boobies eat to make their
feet blue
?
Food. Blue-footed Boobies eat mostly fish and squid Anchovies, sardines, mackerel, flying fish, and other small fish form most of the diet; the larger female boobies take larger fish, on average, than males and can dive more deeply than males. Blue-footed Boobies catch fish by diving during daylight hours.
Do blue-footed boobies mate for life?
Once a match is made, the pair will often remain together for life The female lays two to three eggs, which both parents take turns to incubate whilst the other keeps watch for predators. Boobies lack a brood patch, instead using their large feet to keep the eggs warm.
Do blue-footed boobies say Boobie?
Calls. Blue-footed Boobies are seldom heard vocalizing at sea except when squabbling over prey, when they occasionally make guttural braying sounds Nesting birds give whistling (males) and hoarse quacking (females, young) sounds.
Why are they called blue footed boobie?
Share. The blue-footed booby is a seabird named for its very distinctive bright blue feet As individuals of this species become mature, their feet turn blue, a secondary sex characteristic used in courtship behavior to attract mates.
Where can I see blue-footed booby?
Blue footed boobies can be found on many Galapagos Islands, including our island of Santa Cruz However, one of our favourite islands to observe them is on North Seymour Island, a small islet directly north of Balta Island and Santa Cruz.
What color feet do boobies have?
The causal reason is that carotenoid pigments, which the boobies get through their diet, are concentrated in their feet, making them appear blue in colour. The concentration of these pigments determines the strength of the colour of the feet, with higher concentrations making the feet a more intense colour of blue.
References
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/blue-footed-booby