Booby

Booby, common name for any member of a genus of large web-footed seabirds. Boobies inhabit tropical and subtropical islands throughout the world. They were named by sailors, in reference to the supposed stupidity they show in landing on ships and allowing themselves to be caught. Boobies thrive on fish, and nest in large colonies near the shore. Most species build rough nests on the ground, where they raise one or two chicks in a season. The smallest species, 71 cm (28 in) long, is the red-footed booby, which nests in low trees and shrubs. The brown booby is dark brown with a white belly and wing linings, and is about 75 cm (30 in) long. The Peruvian booby is valuable for its deposits of droppings (guano), which are used for fertilizer along the Peruvian coast. This species has been much reduced in numbers because of human exploitation of anchovies—the booby's preferred source of food.

Scientific classification: Boobies make up the genus Sula of the order Pelecaniformes. The red-footed booby is classified as Sula sula, the brown booby as Sula leucogaster, and the Peruvian booby as Sula variegata.