The Galapagos Islands are home to so many unique and fascinating animals, and amongst the most famous is the Blue-Footed Booby. These cute birds are sure to catch your eye, and not just because of their striking bright blue feet. There are many interesting facts about these birds that might surprise you.
Here are the top 10 interesting facts about the Blue-Footed booby.
1. The word ‘booby’ was used in old English to refer to a dimwit, crazy person, clown, idiot, simpleton, or all-around silly fellow. The blue-footed booby’s name originally came from the Spanish word ‘bobo‘ meaning ‘stupid fellow.’ The boobies walk funny, whistle, and honk, and are notorious to the tourists, thus earning their name.
2. Their nostrils are permanently sealed shut. The blue-footed booby hunt by dive-bombing a school of fish or squid. They dive from an altitude of around 100 feet, hit the water at 60 mph, and dive down 82 ft!. That’s the reason their nostrils are sealed so they can’t have the water spearing up their nostrils and scrambling their brains.
3. The male is slightly smaller and has a soft whistle for a mating call, whereas the female is larger and has a very loud honking noise. The pupil of the female’s eye is slightly larger and star-shaped, whereas the male has more yellow in his iris.
4. Considering that most bird groups are called “flocks.” but a group of boobies is known as a “hatch,” “trap,” or “congress.”
5. Blue-footed booby has a bubble in their brain. They have a special air sac in their skulls to protect their brains. Because they dive from such high heights to such deep depths, their skulls have a special kind of air bubble to protect their brains from the immense pressure of diving and not exploding their brains.