Habitat and Geography
Birds in the
Sulidae family
live in tropical areas. Masked Boobies tend to live closer to the
equator in places such as the Caribbean. Blue-footed Boobies like warm
coastal areas. They do not fly as far out to sea as the Red-footed or
Masked Boobies for food and are more often seen along the shore. Sula nebouxii are not a species that is known to
migrate but will wander along the coastal area. Members of
the genus Sula are
colonial. Blue Footed Boobies are no exception.
Where in
the world is the Booby with the blue feet?
Some
specific locations where Sula nebouxii can be found include
the Gulf of California, the Baja Peninsula of northwestern
Mexico, Peru, and of course, the Galápagos Islands.
Check out the map below to see some hot spots for these birds.
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There are
many other organisms that live in the same habitat as the
Blue-footed Booby. The Galápagos
Islands are filled with all sorts of creatures. Some that
are more intimately associated with the Blue-footed are the
Galápagos Hawk, the
Frigatebird (to read more about Hawks, Frigatebirds and
Boobies click here) and
iguanas.
To see a video of the Blue-footed Boobies interacting with
one another and then
an iguana,
click here.
Straw,
Sticks, Bricks... What!?
The three little pigs used straw, sticks and bricks to make
their homes. What does the Blue-footed Booby use? Actually, Blue-footed Boobies do not make
nests. Basically their nesting area becomes outlined by
feces.
Interestingly, males will present the
female with a stick when wooing her even though there's no
use for it in building a nest. It is possible that at some
point in Booby history Boobies did build nests and it is
still in their genes to do so. Living nest-less may be an
adaptation to an environment without sticks or much
vegetation.
See what Sula nebouxii like to eat by clicking here.