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Sulidae - Gannets and Boobies

booby

Classification

 Phylum: Chordata
 Class: Aves
 Order: Pelecaniformes
 Family: Sulidae

Blue-footed BoobyThere are 10 species of medium to large, stocky seabirds in this family. They are found on islands and coasts around the world, except for in the Antarctic. They have thick, pointed, cone-shaped bills; webbed feet; and pointed wings.

Most species are white with brown or black markings on their wings. They breed and nest in colonies. Nests are made on cliffs, rocky islands, or in trees. Females boobies lay 2-3 eggs, gannets usually only lay one eggs. Both the male and the female incubate the eggs for 40-55 days using their webbed feet. Both the male and female feed and care for the chicks.

The birds in this family dive for fish from the air or from the surface of the water.

 

gallerySulidae Photo Gallery

World Status Key
Least ConcernLeast Concern Near ThreatenedNear Threatened VulnerableVulnerable EndangeredEndangered Critically EndangeredCritically Endangered extinct in the wildExtinct in Wild extinctExtinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in USThreatened in US Threatened in New HampshireThreatened in NH Endangered in USEndangered in US Endangered in NHEndangered in NH breeds in nhBreeds N.H. IntroducedIntroduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

  New Hampshire Species

 

 North/Central American Species

Northern Gannet - Morus bassanus Least Concern
  Blue-footed Booby - Sula nebouxii Least Concern
Brown Booby - Sula leucogaster Least Concern Africa Asia Australia North America South America
Masked Booby - Sula dactylatra Least Concern
Nazca Booby - Sula granti Least Concern
Red-footed Booby - Sula sula Least Concern

Other Species Around the World

Africa Africa Asia Asia Australia Australia/Oceania Europe Europe North America North America South America South America New Hampshire Species NH

Northern Gannet - Morus bassanus Least Concern Africa Asia Europe North America New Hampshire Species
Cape Gannet - Morus capensis Vulnerable Africa Australia
Australasian Gannet - Morus serrator Least Concern Australia
Abbott's Booby - Papasula abbotti Endangered Africa Asia Australia
Masked Booby - Sula dactylatra Least Concern Africa Asia Australia North America South America

  Nazca Booby - Sula granti Least Concern North America South America
Blue-footed Booby - Sula nebouxii Least Concern North America South America
Red-footed Booby - Sula sula Least Concern Africa Asia Australia North America South America
Peruvian Booby - Sula variegata Least Concern South America

Additional Information

Key: profile Profile Photos Photos Video Video Audio Audio

Abbott's Booby - Papasula abbotti profile Photos Video Endangered Africa Asia Australia
Abbott's booby breeds only on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Abbott's Booby - Papasula abbotti profile Photos Endangered Africa Asia Australia
Abbott's booby nests in tall rainforest trees.
Source: BirdLife International Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Australasian Gannet - Morus serrator profile Least Concern Australia
The Australian gannet is found in Australia and New Zealand.
Source: BirdLife International Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Blue-footed Booby - Sula nebouxii profile Photos Video Least Concern North America South America
The blue-footed booby is found along the Pacific coast from California to Chile.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Blue-footed Booby - Sula nebouxii profile Photos Least Concern North America South America
The blue-footed booby has bright blue webbed feet.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Blue-footed Booby - Sula nebouxii profile Photos Audio Least Concern North America South America
The blue-footed booby lays its eggs on the ground.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Blue-footed Booby - Sula nebouxii profile Photos Least Concern North America South America
The blue-footed booby uses its blue feet to keep its young warm.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Brown Booby - Sula leucogaster profile Photos Video Least Concern Africa Asia Australia North America South America
The brown booby is found in tropical oceans around the world.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Brown Booby - Sula leucogaster profile Photos Least Concern Africa Asia Australia North America South America
The brown booby is monogamous.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Cape Gannet - Morus capensis profile Photos Video Vulnerable Africa Australia
The Cape gannet breeds only on six islands off the coast of South Africa and Namibia.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Cape Gannet - Morus capensis profile Photos Vulnerable Africa Australia
The Cape gannet breeds in large colonies.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Masked Booby - Sula dactylatra Photos Video Least Concern Africa Asia Australia North America South America
The masked booby is found in tropical waters around the world.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Masked Booby - Sula dactylatra profile Photos Video Least Concern Africa Asia Australia North America South America
The masked booby lays two eggs, but only one hatchling survives. The older chick ejects the younger chick from the nest.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Nazca Booby - Sula granti profile Photos Video Least Concern North America South America
The Nazca booby is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Baja California, Mexico to the Galapagos Islands.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Northern Gannet - Morus bassanus profile Photos Video Least Concern Africa Asia Europe North America New Hampshire Species
The northern gannet is found in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Northern Gannet - Morus bassanus profile Photos Video Least Concern Africa Asia Europe North America New Hampshire Species
The northern gannet spends most of its life at sea.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Nazca Booby - Sula granti profile Photos Video Least Concern North America South America
The Nazca booby is found in Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, and Peru.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Peruvian Booby - Sula variegata profile Photos Least Concern South America
The Peruvian booby is found in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Red-footed Booby - Sula sula profile Photos Video Least Concern Africa Asia Australia North America South America
The red-footed booby is the smallest species of booby.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes

Red-footed Booby - Sula sula profile Photos Least Concern Africa Asia Australia North America South America
The red-footed booby is found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No

Red-footed Booby - Sula sula profile Photos Audio Least Concern Africa Asia Australia North America South America
The red-footed booby nests on coral atolls or volcanic islands.
Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No