Bird
Peruvian Booby
Sula variegataAlso known as Piquero Peruano
Peruvian boobies are master plunge-divers that hunt in coordinated flocks across the cold, upwelling waters of the Humboldt Current. They plummet headfirst from heights of up to thirty meters, folding their wings to pierce the sea and seize schooling anchoveta below. Breeds nest in dense, raucous colonies on arid coastal islands, contributing historically massive deposits to Peru's famed guano reserves.
SeabirdPlunge DiverColonial
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyPeruvian Anchoveta, South American Pilchard, Silverside
Predators
- Kelp Gull
- Turkey Vulture
- South American Sea Lion
ThreatsEl Niño oceanic warming events, commercial overfishing of forage fish, and nesting disturbance
HabitatsPelagic waters of the Humboldt Current, rocky offshore islands, and arid coastal cliffs
Life span15–25 years
Classification
- FamilySulidae
- SpeciesSula variegata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Look for a crisp white head, neck, and underparts contrasting with mottled brown-and-white wings and a pointed grey bill.
- Support conservation
- Observe exclusively from marine craft or designated mainland overlooks; never land boats on protected guano islands.
Responsible observation
- Boat observation: Use pelagic boat tours to witness synchronized plunge-diving over feeding anchovy shoals.
- Colony distance: Stay at least 50 meters away from coastal nesting cliffs to avoid flushing brooding adults.
Frequent Companion (c) Dan Harville, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Dan Harville · cc-by-sa
Frequent Companion Bruno Girin from London, United Kingdom / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
Prey (c) cstobie, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by cstobie · cc-by
Predator Godot13 / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Mikko Koponen, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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