Larry's Gallery:   Masked Booby (1/1)

PHALACROCORACIFORMES: Sulidae

Sula dactylatra  

The Masked Booby breeds throughout the world's tropical oceans and is locally abundant near hundreds of oceanic islands.

The name "booby," originally coined by sailors, referred derogatorily to these birds' lack of fear around humans (Audubon).

I guess we were lucky to see this bird as it was almost at the southernmost point of their known range and they are usually found well out in the ocean.

Like other gannets this seabird feeds by plunge-diving from heights of up to 30 metres into schools of fish.