Red-footed Booby

Sula sula

Family: Boobies and Gannets · Status: Very rare visitor · Size: 68–72.5 cm · Conservation: Least Concern

Range

Pantropical distribution across the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans; wanders widely outside the breeding season to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

Identification

Several colour morphs, all with distinctive red feet and a bluish-grey bill. White morph is mostly white with contrasting black flight feathers. Brown morph is greyish-brown with darker flight feathers. Intermediate form resembles white morph but with brown mantle, back and wing-coverts. Juvenile of all morphs is brownish overall with yellow-grey legs. Separated from adult Masked Booby by red feet (not greyish-yellow), black under primary coverts, and less black on the secondaries. Separated from Brown Booby by smaller size and, in white morph, largely white plumage.

Habitat

Open seas and sometimes coastal waters.

Behaviour

Feeds by plunge-diving vertically into the sea, generally from 4–8 m, using webbed feet to aid swimming.