Birds · Suliformes · Sulidae

Brown Booby

Sula leucogaster

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The brown booby is the most widespread tropical booby and the most coastal: it stays closer inshore than its relatives and often fishes within sight of land. It is dark brown with a cleanly demarcated white belly. It is a spectacular fisher that plunges at a steep angle, and it frequently accompanies shoals of tuna and dolphins that drive fish towards the surface.

Weight

1.2 kg – 1.3 kg

Size

64 cm – 85 cm

Lifespan

25 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanIslandsCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Ocean Islands

74countries 4parks8same family

Fun facts

It is the booby that comes closest inshore and the one that most often settles on ships: sailors know it well because it takes up residence on the rails and masts for days at a time.
Chicks raised on islands with rats or cats disappear almost entirely, and eradicating those predators from tropical islets has allowed rapid recolonisation.
It often fishes by following dolphins and tuna, which drive the fish shoals towards the surface and put the prey within its reach.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Tropical coastal waters of every ocean; it breeds on islands, islets and cliffs
Sexual maturity: 3.5 years
Gestation / incubation: 41 days
Litter / clutch size: 2

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sula_leucogaster