Red-footed Booby
The red-footed booby (Sula sula) is the smallest booby, a seabird of tropical oceans with striking red feet. It nests in trees and shrubs on remote islands, unlike most other boobies, which nest on the ground.
The red-footed booby (Sula sula) is the smallest booby, a seabird of tropical oceans with striking red feet. It nests in trees and shrubs on remote islands, unlike most other boobies, which nest on the ground.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Red-footed Booby in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Reptilia lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
Plunge Diving
Boobies fold their wings and dive into the sea from the air to catch flying fish and squid. Air sacs under the skin cushion the impact, and their nostrils are closed off. They can forage hundreds of kilometers from their colony.
Red Feet: A Signal
The red color comes from carotenoid pigments from the diet, so bright feet may signal good health. Pairs show off their feet in courtship displays.
Island Colonies
Large colonies live on islands such as Genovesa in the Galápagos and in the Indian and Pacific oceans. The birds are vulnerable to introduced rats and cats, and to fishing nets.
Red-footed Booby at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Sula sula |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Suliformes |
| Family | Sulidae |
| Field Guide group | Reptilia: Aves (Birds) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Bright red webbed totipalmate feet, pale blue beak with pink base, aerodynamic torpedo body for high-speed plunge diving. |
| IUCN Red List status | Least Concern (LC), assessed 2021 |
| Family | Sulidae |
| Nesting | In trees and shrubs |