Bird · GBIF taxon 2480975
Brown Booby
Sula leucogasterAlso known as Common Booby, White-bellied Booby
Brown boobies are sleek, pantropical seabirds celebrated for their acrobatic aerial displays and shallow plunge dives into coastal waters. They frequently shadow pods of dolphins or schools of predatory fish like tuna, snatching flying fish and squid that breach the surface to escape underwater pursuers. Monogamous pairs defend small ground territories on rocky islands and coral cays, where parents share incubation and chick-rearing duties over several months.
SeabirdPelagicPlunge Diver
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Flying fish
- Squid
- Mullet
Predators
- Feral cat
- Black rat
- Magnificent frigatebird
ThreatsIntroduced predators at nesting colonies, plastic pollution, and marine debris entanglement
HabitatsTropical and subtropical oceans, coral reefs, rocky coastal islets, and offshore cays
Life span20–25 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderSuliformes
- FamilySulidae
- GenusSula
- SpeciesSula leucogaster
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Sharp serrated bill can inflict deep puncture wounds if handled; observe from a respectful distance.
- Why it is dangerous
- Equipped with a powerful, knife-sharp bill with serrated cutting edges capable of tearing flesh and causing deep puncture wounds.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for chocolate-brown upperparts and neck contrasting sharply with a clean white belly and yellowish beak.
- What to do
- Never attempt to grab an injured bird bare-handed; contact a certified wildlife rescue and drape a towel over its head if containment is required.
Responsible observation
- Colony Etiquette: Stay well clear of ground nests, as disturbance can prompt parents to abandon eggs.
- Boat Encounters: Watch ship bows and masts, where birds frequently hitch rides and scan for flying fish.
- Binocular Distance: Observe their spectacular synchronized plunge dives with optics from the beach or a boat.
Competitor Andrew Turner from Washington, DC, United States / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Close Relative Gregg Yan / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Mikko Koponen, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative Forest & Kim Starr / CC BY 3.0 · cc-by
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