Brown booby

The brown booby is a large, sociable seabird belonging to the Sulidae family. These birds can be observed foraging in coastal waters, where they engage in dramatic dives to catch small fish. Unlike many seabirds, brown boobies prefer solid perches to rest on and build their nests on the ground.

First described by the French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, in 1781, the brown booby is classified into four recognized subspecies.

In terms of appearance, the brown booby features dark brown to black feathers on its head and upper body, contrasted with a white belly. Males have a blue ring around their eyes, while females have a yellow one. Females are also larger, growing up to 80 cm in length. Juvenile brown boobies resemble adults, although some subspecies exhibit distinct differences in their plumage.

Brown boobies breed on islands and coastal regions in tropical areas, with colonies in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Interestingly, they often include marine debris, such as plastic, in their nests. They typically lay two eggs, but usually only one chick survives due to competition for food.

Expert divers, these birds feed mainly on small fish and squid. Although they are powerful fliers, they can be quite clumsy when taking off or landing.