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Quick answer
The blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) is a plunge-diving seabird of Pacific coasts from Mexico to Peru, famous for sky-blue feet used in courtship stomping displays. Adults weigh about 1.5 kg, nest on rocky islands including the Galápagos, and are listed Least Concern — though El Niño years crash local breeding success when fish plunge deeper.
Top questions about the Blue-footed Booby
Blue-footed Booby facts at a glance
- Weight 1.5 kg
- Length 80 cm
- Top speed 80 km/h
- Lifespan 15 years
| Scientific name | Sula nebouxii |
|---|---|
| Diet | Carnivore (fish) |
| Habitat | Coastal waters and rocky islands |
| Lifespan | Around 15 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 1.5 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 80 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Suliformes |
| Family | Sulidae |
| Genus | Sula |
Where it lives
The blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) is native to Pacific coasts from Mexico to Peru, with famous colonies in the Galápagos. — recorded across North America, South America in this guide’s range summary.
For occurrence records, see GBIF species search and sources below.
How big is a blue-footed booby?
An adult blue-footed booby measures 80 cm long — about 46% of the height of an average adult person (1.73 m) — and weighs around 1.5 kg, about 2% of an average adult’s body weight (70 kg).
Length vs an average adult’s height (to scale)
What is a group of blue-footed boobies called?
Group name (collective noun)
A group of Blue-footed Boobies is called a colony.
Baby name
A baby Blue-footed Booby is called a chick.
Explore more animal collective nouns and baby animal names .
Turquoise feet and plunge dives
Foot colour intensity correlates with health and mating success. Birds fold wings and plunge from height to catch fish. Females are larger than males and often have darker pupils.
Schooling fish offshore
Diet is fish such as sardines and anchovies taken by plunge-diving in coastal upwellings. Across its range it is tied to coastal waters and rocky islands, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.
Mexico to Peru — Galápagos icon
Pacific coasts from Mexico to Peru, with celebrated colonies in the Galápagos Islands on rocky shores. Across its range it is tied to coastal waters and rocky islands, and field accounts emphasise this species’ distinctive ecology rather than generic habitat labels.
El Niño boom and bust
Least Concern overall, yet warm El Niño events push prey deep or away, causing breeding failures in Galápagos and elsewhere. Colony protection from introduced predators remains important.
Explore the Blue-footed Booby
Related Birds
Range & geography
Conservation status of the Blue-footed Booby
The blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Least Concern (LC) is the IUCN's lowest-risk category, assigned to widespread, abundant species that have been evaluated and found not to be threatened. It does not mean a species faces no pressures — only that it is not currently at risk of extinction.
The blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii) is assessed on the IUCN Red List. Look up on the IUCN Red List .
Frequently asked questions about the Blue-footed Booby
Why are blue-footed boobies' feet blue?
Carotenoid pigments from their fish diet colour the feet; brighter feet signal better condition to mates.
How do blue-footed boobies hunt?
They plunge-dive from the air into schools of fish (Sula nebouxii; diet: Carnivore (fish)).
Where do blue-footed boobies nest?
On rocky islands and coasts of the eastern Pacific, including famous Galápagos colonies.
Do males and females look different?
Females are larger and often show differently coloured pupils; both have blue feet.
How does El Niño affect them?
Reduced surface fish during warm events can cause widespread breeding failure.
What is a group of blue-footed boobies called?
A group of Blue-footed Boobies is called a colony.
What is a baby blue-footed booby called?
A baby Blue-footed Booby is called a chick.
Sources & references
This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Blue-footed Booby:
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IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Conservation status (Least Concern) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Sula nebouxii.
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iNaturalist — observations & photos
Search citizen-science observations and community IDs for Sula nebouxii. Useful for range checks and recent sightings — not a substitute for formal Red List status.
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GBIF — occurrence data
Global Biodiversity Information Facility species search for Sula nebouxii. Explore published occurrence records used in range research.
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eBird — bird observations
Cornell Lab eBird target search for Blue-footed Booby. Check recent checklists and seasonal abundance where birders report this species.
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