FOR SALE "The Blue-Footed Booby Bird", native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. Acrylic on canvas

Size: 20" x 16" / 51cm x 40.6cm

The blue-footed booby is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the eastern Pacific Ocean. Their native range stretches from the Gulf of California in Mexico, down the western coasts of Central and South America, all the way to Peru. Sadly, their populations are in decline.

The Blue-Footed Booby is known for its awkward gait and its indifference to people; it derives its common name from bobo, a Spanish word meaning “foolish” or “clownish.” 

Their courtship begins with a male gifting stones or other small objects to a female, before he performs an elaborate high-stepping dance. The male’s blue feet are essential to this process; the blue colouration is derived from carotenoids, a pigment found in fish. Females are attracted to mates with a brighter blue colour, which is an indicator of the male’s maturity and health.