nests in the kermadec island trees
- Size
- Length: 65-75 cm, Weight: 0.8-1.0 kg
- Lifespan
- 20-25 years
- Diet
- Carnivorous. Feeds on fish and squid. Plunge-dives from heights of 10-30 metres. Often feeds in association with tuna and other predatory fish driving prey upwards.
- Habitat
- Tropical and subtropical oceans globally. Breeds on remote coral atolls and rocky islands. Nests in trees or shrubs unlike other booby species which nest on ground.
- Range
- Pantropical across Atlantic Indian and Pacific Oceans. In New Zealand resident in Kermadec Islands. Rare vagrant to North Island coast during wandering periods.
- Endemism
- Visitor
- Main Threats
- Introduced predators on breeding islands including rats and cats. Sea level rise threatens low-lying atoll nesting habitat. Climate change affects prey distribution.
- Population
- Global population estimated at 1-2 million birds. In New Zealand rare vagrant to Kermadec Islands and occasionally North Island coast during dispersal events.
- Conservation Status
- data_deficient
- Human Risk
- harmless
- Handling Note
- seabird, do not approach or disturb on nesting grounds
- Conservation Note
- Rare vagrant booby; not assessed for conservation status in New Zealand.
- Te Ao Māori
- The red-footed booby has no recognised Māori name. Its New Zealand presence is largely confined to the Kermadec Islands. These lie beyond traditional Māori voyaging range. In Pacific island cultures boobies were significant seabirds. Fishers admired their diving skill. The red-footed booby carries that tradition into New Zealand's far north. It remains an outsider here. The connection is distant but real. It persists.
Bright red feet and a blue bill with a pink base. The face matches the bill in colour. This is the most colourful of the boobies and also the smallest. It looks dressed for a tropical party. The contrast is sharp.
Several colour morphs exist. White morph birds are white with black flight feathers. Brown morph birds are dark brown with a white belly. They look different. They are the same species. The variation is normal.
Feeding involves fish and squid. The bird plunge-dives from heights of up to thirty metres. Hitting the water is a controlled crash. Wings fold at the last moment. The strike is feet-first. It emerges with prey. The technique works.
Flight is strong and direct. Deep steady wingbeats carry it forward. It soars well. It rides the wind without effort. The air supports it.
Breeding takes place on remote tropical islands. The nest is a platform of sticks built in a tree or shrub. This differs from other boobies which nest on the ground. A single white egg is laid. Both parents share incubation duties. The chick is covered in white down. It looks fluffy and absurd. Growth is quick. Survival depends on timing.
In New Zealand these birds are rare vagrants. They are regular in the Kermadec Islands a tropical outpost in the far north. Occasionally they wander further south reaching the North Island coast. The Kermadec population is the southernmost for this species. It holds the line.
The call is a harsh grunting 'kraa-ak'. It is often heard at the colony. It is not musical. The sound carries across the trees.
The red feet are the giveaway. No other booby in New Zealand has feet like this. The bird uses them in display. It lifts its feet. It shows them off. The females watch. The ritual is simple. It keeps going.
The red-footed booby is a bird of the tropics. It does not belong in cold water. It stays where the heat is. The Kermadecs provide just enough warmth. Just enough isolation. The bird survives on the edge of its range. It does not push further. It knows the limit. The limit is temperature. The limit is food. The limit is survival. It respects the boundary. It carries on.