Red-footed Booby

Sula sulaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Booby and Gannets (Sulidae)

Breeding Location:

Bushes, shrubs, and thickets, Forests



Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Colonial



Breeding Population:

Casual



Egg Color:

White



Number of Eggs:

1



Incubation Days:

43 - 49



Egg Incubator:

Both sexes



Nest Material:

Sticks and twigs.



Migration:

Nonmigratory



Splitbar

Overview

Red-footed Booby: The black-tailed white-morph is a small booby with white head, body, tail. Pale blue face has pink-based, pale blue bill. Flight feathers are black. Bright red legs, feet. Brown form is brown overall with darker flight feathers. Strong steady wing beats with glides.

Range and Habitat

Red-footed Booby: Breeds on tropical islands worldwide, including Caribbean, Galapagos, Indian Ocean; strays to Dry Tortugas off Florida, accidental off Gulf and California coasts. Pelagic, only comes ashore to breed.

Breeding and Nesting

Red-footed Booby: One chalky white egg is laid in a loose nest made of sticks and twigs, built in a tree, shrubs, or thick grass tufts. Incubation ranges from 43 to 49 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Red-footed Booby: Feeds on squid and flying fish; also eats crustaceans and other fish. Plunge dives for most food in deep waters; sometimes catches flying fish in the air.

Readily Eats

Vocalization

Red-footed Booby: Usually silent at sea; gives low, throaty, and bray-like chatter on breeding grounds.

Similar Species

Red-footed Booby: Masked Booby has black tail, black inner secondaries, dark facial skin, and gray legs.

.

All contents © Copyright 2003-2005 Mitch Waite Group. All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be reproduced without written permission from Mitch Waite Group. Privacy Policy

Percevia® Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The Percevia field guides, database and search protocol patent pending.

The best bird guide and bird watching search engine to identify birds!

Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Family Booby and Gannets (Sulidae)_blue
Species Sula sula
Length26 - 28 Inches
Wingspan56.5 Inches

Red-footed Booby

Red-footed Booby: The black-tailed white-morph is a small booby with white head, body, tail. Pale blue face has pink-based, pale blue bill. Flight feathers are black. Bright red legs, feet. Brown form is brown overall with darker flight feathers. Strong steady wing beats with glides.

● Song: Generally silent

● Foraging & Feeding: Red-footed Booby: Feeds on squid and flying fish; also eats crustaceans and other fish. Plunge dives for most food in deep waters; sometimes catches flying fish in the air.

● Breeding & nesting: Red-footed Booby: One chalky white egg is laid in a loose nest made of sticks and twigs, built in a tree, shrubs, or thick grass tufts. Incubation ranges from 43 to 49 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Red-footed Booby: Masked Booby has black tail, black inner secondaries, dark facial skin, and gray legs.

Flight Pattern

Graceful., Strong, steady wing beats with glides.
Red-footed Booby Breeding Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Red-footed Booby: Breeds on tropical islands worldwide, including Caribbean, Galapagos, Indian Ocean; strays to Dry Tortugas off Florida, accidental off Gulf and California coasts. Pelagic, only comes ashore to breed.
BreedingMonogamous, Colonial
PopulationCasual
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight33.6 Ounces