The blue-footed booby is a seabird famous for its bright blue feet and comical courtship dance. It lives along the eastern Pacific coast and is one of the most popular sights in the Galápagos Islands.
Interesting facts
- Males strut and lift their feet one at a time to show them off during courtship.
- Boobies plunge-dive into the sea from heights of 10–30 metres.
- The name ‘booby’ comes from the Spanish ‘bobo’, meaning fool, because they seemed clumsy on land.
- About half of all breeding pairs live in the Galápagos Islands.
- Males whistle, while females make a honking sound.
- Pairs ‘sky-point’, raising their bills and wings to the sky, as part of courtship.
Behaviour
Blue-footed boobies often fish in groups, diving together into shoals. On land, they nest in colonies on bare ground, surrounded by a ring of guano.
Breeding and young
Females lay one to three eggs in a scrape on the ground. Both parents incubate the eggs with their feet for about 41–45 days. Chicks fledge after about three months.
Threats and conservation
Declines in sardine stocks and changes in ocean conditions caused by El Niño have reduced breeding in the Galápagos. Other threats include disturbance and introduced predators.
Where to see it
- Española and North Seymour, Galápagos
- Isla de la Plata, Ecuador
- Isla Isabel, Mexico
- Coasts of the Gulf of California
Status source: IUCN Red List. Profile last reviewed September 2026.
