Boobies on LandĪll half-dozen or so booby species are thought to take their name from the Spanish word “bobo.” The term means “stupid,” which is how early European colonists may have characterized these clumsy and unwary birds when they saw them on land-their least graceful environment. When a typical brood of one to three chicks hatches, both parents feed and care for them. Blue-footed boobies can also dive from a sitting position on the water's surface.īlue-footed boobies also use their webbed feet to cover their young and keep them warm. They fold their long wings back around their streamlined bodies and plunge into the water from as high as 80 feet. When their prey is in sight, these seabirds utilize the physical adaptations that make them exceptional divers. They may fly far out to sea while keeping a keen eye out for schools of small fish, such as anchovies. When day breaks, they take to the air in search of seafood, sometimes fishing in cooperative groups. Like its North Atlantic relative the Northern Gannet, Blue-footed Boobies catch fish in. With a length of around 32 to 34 inches (81.2-86. The other part of the nameboobyis reportedly taken from the Spanish for stupid, (bobo) and refers to these birds’ tameness around people. The booby’s plumage is predominantly brown, while its head and neck display a lighter shade of cream or white. Like other boobies, blue-foots nest on land at night. The Blue-footed Booby has captivated the human imagination for centuries with its mating display, in which its vivid baby-blue feet play a key role. The Galápagos Islands population includes about half of all breeding pairs of blue-footed boobies. Boobies and Gannets (Order: Suliformes, Family: Sulidae) Browse Species in This Family. These boobies live off the western coasts of Central and South America. The bluer the feet, the more attractive the mate. ![]() During mating rituals, male birds show off their feet to prospective mates with a high-stepping strut. Unfortunately, colonies of this species are in decline in the. The reserve is the only breeding site for the Red-footed Booby in the Cayman Islands and the colony is one of the largest of this species in the region. ![]() Blue-footed boobies are aptly named, and males take great pride in their fabulous feet. The most distinctive aspect of the Booby Pond is its resident colony of approximately 4,000 Red-footed Boobies (Sula sula).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |