All About the Blue-footed Booby!

Updated: Dec 21, 2023

Blue-footed Boobies on Rocks. Photo Credit: Unsplash/Jenni Miska

What are Blue-footed Boobies?

Blue-footed Boobies are marine birds native to the tropical regions of the eastern Pacific Ocean, such as the Galapagos Islands. They also thrive in the subtropical regions.

Blue-footed Boobies Near the Ocean. Photo Credit: Unsplash/J Dean

How did the Blue-footed Boobies get their name?

The Blue- footed Boobies got their name because of their bright blue feet. Their blue feet are caused by pigments the boobies get through their diet of mostly fish and squid.

The Very Blue Feet of the Blue-footed Booby. Photo Credit: Unsplash/Hans-Jurgen Mager

Did you know?

Blue-footed Boobies aren’t born with blue feet. Their feet slowly begin to turn blue when they’re older and mature.
Female Blue-footed Boobies have larger pupils and bluer feet than the males, making it easier to tell them apart.
Sometimes you will see a Blue-footed Booby “laughing” when it’s actually keeping itself cool.

Why are Blue-footed Boobies worth saving?

Blue-footed Boobies are very important because they indicate the health of the ocean and marine ecosystems by what they eat and how much they grow.
They have been quickly declining almost fifty percent in the past 20 years in the Galapagos.
Conservationists and marine bird biologists are fighting to help these birds make a come-back.

The Beautiful Blue-footed Boobies. Photo Credit: Jonathan Monck-Mason

Want to learn more about how to help protect the Blue-footed Booby?

Visit the Galapagos Conservation Trust for more information about the amazing work they do to conserve species of the Galapagos, including the Blue-Footed Booby!