Blue-footed Booby Interesting Facts

Scientific Name: Sula nebouxii excisa

Biological Taxon: Breeding endemic subspecies

Lifespan: 17 years

UICN red list status: Lees Concern (LC)

Range: Along the eastern Pacific coast; In Galapagos commonly nests in colonies on all islands except Santa Cruz and the northern islands (Genovesa, Marchena, Pinta, Darwin, and Wolf).

If you were looking for blue-footed boobies interesting facts, you are in the right place.

In this post, we will tell you several things you should know about this funny and emblematic blue-footed seabird that inhabits the Galapagos Islands.

Blue-footed Booby, a clumsy bird on land.

Blue-footed Boobies are birds with great skill in the air and are excellent swimmers, however, they can confuse us with their “clumsy” behavior on land.

That is why the English name for these beautiful birds (Blue-footed Booby) comes from the Spanish word “bobo” which means silly or clownish and refers to their movements on land. Also, because it can be observed that they are not frightened when humans approach them.

A couple of Blue Footed Boobies posing on the rocks near Kicker Rock.

Blue-footed booby habitat

Where do blue-footed boobies live? This is a good question, they are distributed throughout the islands of the eastern Pacific, from California to Peru.

However, the main reason why you should visit the Galapagos Islands is that 50% of the breeding pairs of blue-footed boobies live there.

The preferred nesting habitat for blue-footed boobies is small islands with rocky shores and cliffs, although they generally like to nest on land.

What their mate selection and courtship ritual is like.

Among blue-footed boobies, the female is the one who chooses her mate. She is not easy to impress, so if the male does not have brightly colored feet, he will not get a girlfriend.

The female looks at the color of the male’s feet, because if they are bright and intense blue, it means that he is in good health and therefore the perfect candidate to become the father of her offspring.

Once the female has picked her mate, it is time for the male to court her with an elaborate ritual that begins when he offers a twig or a stone to the female. Next, the male “dances” around the female, showing off his bright, dazzling blue legs with high steps.

Finally, the female joins the ritual and together with the male culminates the “dance” by pointing her beaks to the sky.

Blue-footed Boobies interesting facts:

• Females are larger than males and have more dilated pupils, so differentiating a female from a male just by looking at their eyes can be easier than trying to guess by their size.

• Females emit a horrible “honk” and males emit a beautiful whistle. During mating season, a concert of whistling and squawking attracts the attention of visitors to North Seymour and Española Islands, home to the largest colonies of blue-footed boobies in the Galapagos.

• The pair usually stays together for life. Like other bird species inhabiting the Galapagos Islands, such as the Galapagos albatross, the blue-footed booby is monogamous and remains with its mate for the rest of its life.

• The blue-footed booby when diving to hunt can reach speeds of up to 60 mph (ca. 97 km/h) diving up to 82 feet (ca. 25 m) deep to reach its food.

• The color of blue-footed boobies’ legs is due to their diet of blue fish. They hunt schools of sardines, mackerel, anchovies and flying fish. From May to December, the Galapagos seas are especially rich in nutrients and fish, so boobies and other seabirds are very active at this time.

Female blue-footed boobies are slightly larger than males and also have larger pupils, so they can be easily distinguished.

Undoubtedly, Galapagos blue-footed booby is a unique and special endemic species, which you will be able to see if you decide to visit the wonderful Enchanted Islands. Take an excursion on one of the best cruises available, or even on an island-hopping tour to spot the beautiful blue feet birds.

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