The brown booby (Sula leucogaster) is a large seabird. It is found throughout the Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico islands
Breeding
This species breeds on islands and coasts in the pantropical areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They frequent the breeding grounds of the islands in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. This bird nests in large colonies, laying two chalky blue eggs on the ground in a mound of broken shells and vegetation. It winters at sea over a wider area. Brown booby pairs may remain together over several seasons.
Diet
They perform elaborate greeting rituals, and are also spectacular divers, plunging into the ocean at high speed. They mainly eat small fish or squid which gather in groups near the surface and may catch leaping fish while skimming the surface. Although they are powerful and agile fliers, they are particularly clumsy in takeoffs and landings; they use strong winds and high perches to assist their takeoffs.
Anatomy and Physiology
The female booby reaches about 80 centimetres in length, its wingspan measures up to 150 cm, and they can weigh up to 1.3 kg. The male booby reaches about 75 centimetres in length, its wingspan measures up to 140 cm, and they can weigh up to 1 kg.
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