The Blue-footed Booby is famous for its brilliant turquoise-blue feet, which play a central role in courtship — males strut to show off their feet and bluer-footed males are preferred by females. It breeds on islands off Baja California and occasionally appears along the California coast and the Salton Sea.
Best time to see a Blue-footed Booby
The best time to see a Blue-footed Booby is September–October, when about 64% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 138 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Blue-footed Booby? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Blue-footed Booby sightings near you
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