Birds of the World (II): The Masked Booby

[Masked Booby - www.darwinsgalapagos.com]

On the 25th July I decided to begin a series grandly titled Birds of the World. In today's second instalment I proudly present The Masked Booby! (commence mass hysteria...)

booby, n.

1. a. ‘A dull, heavy, stupid fellow: a lubber’ (J.); a clown, a nincompoop. Also, spec. a cry-baby (dial. or children's colloq.). b. spec. The last boy in a school class, the dunce.
2. A name for different species of gannet, esp. Sula fusca.

[OED 2nd Ed]

I recall it was a hot day in 2002. The sun was beating down upon the earth and my wife (of four days!) and I were picking our way through the Pandanus Palms of Lord Howe Island. Our target, a small outcrop of rock in the South Pacific called Muttonbird Point. Arriving, we stood atop a wooden platform and lifted our binoculars (well, I had binoculars, Anth had to wait). Ahead of us - a breding colony of Masked Boobies!!! There they sat, preening, gossiping and sqaubbling amongst tussocks of grass as we looked on. Honeymooning, birdwatching and a breeding colony of Masked Boobies ... what a wonderful combination.

The Masked Booby is the largest of the Booby species (there are seven extant species), with a wingspan of approximately 1.6 to 1.7 metres. Closely related to gannets, boobies are marine pelargic birds, frequenting the world's oceans. To breed, Boobies form colonies, nesting either in trees or on the ground.

The Masked Booby can be distinguished from other species of Booby by its dark facial markings. It is found in tropical waters between 30°N and 30°S. They are quiet whilst flying, but emit whistles and honks whilst on the ground. Masked Boobies nest on the ground, forming a small depression, often on islands and atolls to avoid predators. They are monogamous and usually produce one offspring per season. At sea, the Masked Booby dives from various heights to catch fish underwater.

Whilst on land Masked Boobies are very entertaining.