Peruvian Booby

Sula variegata

Least Concern · IUCN Red List

LCLeast ConcernFishMarinePlatform nestLarge · 1.4 kg

ID tip

The Peruvian booby has brown upperparts and a white head and underparts. There is noticeable white mottling on the upper side of the wings. Their wing-coverts are tipped white, creating a scale-like pattern. They have a long, pointed, grey bill and grey webbed feet. This differentiates them from characteristic coloring of the blue-footed and red-footed boobies. Female boobies tend to be larger than their male counterparts: their bodies an average of 19% heavier, and their wings 4% larger. Voice: Female Peruvian boobies have a range of vocalizations; from trumpet-like quacks to honks. The male booby, on the other hand, tends to whistle. This kind of auditory communication is unique to adult members of the species, as it takes a few years to be able to produce such vocalizations.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Peruvian Booby

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 1 month with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is December, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Peruvian Booby

Regular range

The map shades 6 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

About the Peruvian Booby

The Peruvian booby is an endemic bird of the Peruvian current, and an important predator of the marine community to which it belongs. Its distribution is much less widespread than other closely related booby species. It is the most abundant seabird species that inhabits the Peruvian coast and the second most important guano-producing seabird. During the mid-twentieth century, the Peruvian booby population reached 3 million birds.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: Brown Booby vs Peruvian Booby · Blue-footed Booby vs Peruvian Booby · Peruvian Booby vs Red-footed Booby

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