Blue-footed Boobies

The Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) is a seabird famous for its striking blue feet and quirky behaviour particularly its courtship dance.

The Blue-footed Booby's most distinctive feature is its bright blue feet, which are a result of carotenoid pigments in its diet. The more vibrant the blue, the healthier and more attractive the bird is to potential mates.

They have a predominantly white body with brownish-grey wings and tail. Their head has a speckled brown and white pattern, and they have a pale bill.

These birds are medium-sized, measuring around 81 to 86 cm in length and having a wingspan of about 1.5 meters.

Blue-footed Boobies primarily eat fish, tiny schooling fish like sardines, anchovies, and mackerel. They are expert divers, plunging into the water from great heights to catch prey.

They can dive from heights up to 24 meters or more and hit the water at high speeds to snatch fish.

Their courtship rituals are among their most famous behaviours. Males show off their vibrant blue feet by lifting them high in an exaggerated, slow-motion dance. The bluer the feet, the more attractive they are to females. The male also whistles and spreads his wings as part of the display.

Both parents take turns incubating the eggs, using their webbed feet to keep them warm. They also share the responsibility of feeding and protecting the chicks after hatching.