Blue-footed Booby Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesBlue-footed Booby
Adult
Large, heavy-bodied seabird with a long daggerlike bill. Adults have distinctive blue feet. Note dark bill.
© Darren Clark / Macaulay LibraryGalápagos, September 01, 2014Immature
Large, heavy-bodied seabird with a long daggerlike bill. Immatures are dark overall with variable amounts of white mottling on the back. Note paler head and white belly.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryOaxaca, January 09, 2013Immature
The underwings on immatures are mostly dark. Note pale head and white belly.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryEl Callao, January 20, 2010Immature
Large, heavy-bodied seabird with long pointy wings. In flight, note mostly dark underwings on immature birds.
© Steve Collins / Macaulay LibraryNew Mexico, August 23, 2009Adult
Nests on the ground on islands. Forages at sea.
© Michael Warner / Macaulay LibraryGalápagos, February 27, 2015Immature
Immatures are mostly brown with a dark bill and a white belly. Often roosts on rocky islands.
© Ryan O'Donnell / Macaulay LibraryBaja California, October 04, 2008Similar SpeciesBrown Booby
Adult (Atlantic)
Brown Boobies have a pale bill, yellow feet, and a solid brown neck unlike Blue-footed Boobies which have a dark bill, blue feet, and a paler streaked neck.
© Bill Adams / Macaulay LibraryArkansas, November 07, 2015Similar SpeciesBrown Booby
Immature
Immature Brown Boobies have a brownish belly while immature Blue-footed Boobies have a white belly.
© Tim Lenz / Macaulay LibrarySonora, November 25, 2015Similar SpeciesRed-footed Booby
Adult light morph
Red-footed Boobies have a white back whereas Blue-footed Boobies have a brown back. They also have red (not blue) feet.
© Marilyn Henry / Macaulay LibraryGalápagos, November 14, 2016Similar SpeciesRed-footed Booby
Adult dark morph
Darker Red-footed Boobies look similar to immature Blue-footed Boobies, but they have a tan colored belly while immature Blue-foots have a white belly.
© Shawn Billerman / Macaulay LibraryGalápagos, May 21, 2014Similar SpeciesMasked Booby
Adult
Masked Boobies have a white back and yellow bill whereas Blue-footed Boobies have a brown back and a dark bill.
© Bruce Wedderburn / Macaulay LibraryNorfolk Island, April 04, 2011Similar SpeciesMasked Booby
Immature
Immature Masked Boobies have a paler bill than Blue-footed Boobies and have more white on the upper back than juvenile Blue-foots with a distinct white collar.
© James (Jim) Holmes / Macaulay LibrarySaint Helena, April 18, 2016Similar SpeciesNorthern Gannet
Adult
Northern Gannets have a white head with a yellow wash and a white back whereas Blue-footed Boobies have a streaky head and a brown back. Note range differences.
© John Reynolds / Macaulay LibraryOccitanie, December 03, 2016Similar SpeciesNorthern Gannet
Juvenile
Juvenile Northern Gannets have a brown belly unlike juvenile Blue-footed Boobies, which have a white belly. Note range differences.
© John Reynolds / Macaulay LibraryOccitanie, December 03, 2016Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Boobies and Gannets(Order: Suliformes, Family: Sulidae)
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