Brown Booby
Sula leucogaster
The Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) is a uncommon boobies and gannet found in 108 countries, weighing about 1.3 kg. The brown booby is a large seabird in the booby and gannet family Sulidae, of which it is one of the most common and widespread species.
About the Brown Booby
The brown booby is a large seabird in the booby and gannet family Sulidae, of which it is one of the most common and widespread species. It has a pantropical range, which overlaps with that of other booby species. The gregarious brown booby commutes and forages at low height over inshore waters. Flocks plunge-dive to take small fish, especially when these are driven near the surface by their predators. They nest only on the ground, and roost on solid objects rather than the water surface.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The booby's head and upper body (back) is covered in dark brown to blackish plumage, with the remainder (belly) being a contrasting white. The bare-part colours vary geographically, but not seasonally. The species also displays sexual dimorphism of the bare part colours, the males having a blue orbital ring, as opposed to the yellow orbital ring of the female. Female boobies reach about 80 centimetres (31 in) in length; their wingspans measure up to 150 cm (4.9 ft), and they can weigh up to 1,300 g (2.9 lb).
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Sweden, France, South Africa, India, Mayotte.
When to see it
The Brown Booby can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Brown Booby?
- The booby's head and upper body (back) is covered in dark brown to blackish plumage, with the remainder (belly) being a contrasting white. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Brown Booby?
- The Brown Booby is a large sized bird weighing about 1.3 kg.
- Where can you see a Brown Booby?
- The Brown Booby occurs in 108 countries, including the United States, Australia, Taiwan, Brazil and Puerto Rico.
- What birds look similar to a Brown Booby?
- The Brown Booby is most easily confused with the Blue-footed Booby, the Red-footed Booby and the Masked Booby.
Learn the Brown Booby for real
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