THE WORLD BIRDS - An Online Bird Book
SULIFORMES
Order Suliformes Family Sulidae
SULIFORMES
The Suliformes order is made up of 4 families: anhingas (Anhingidae), cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae), bobbies and gannets (Sulidae), and frigatebirds (Fregatidae). These are diving birds, they plunge for prey, often from a considerable height. Because of this, their nostrils are protected from water inhalation. For example, gannets nostrils are located inside their mouth. Suliforme chicks are altricial; they are born naked and helpless. Most of the order have large wingspans. An exception is the flightless cormorant of the Galapagos.
Suliformes all have webbing that connects four toes. Ths is also true for pelicans and tropicbirds. They contrast with ducks ang geese that have just 3 webbed toes. Quite recently, all of the suliformes were considered to belong to the same order as the pelicans: Pelicaniformes. Suliformes share another property with the pelicans, they all have bare gular sacs. Of course, this sac has evolved to the extreme with pelicans which use it for fishing.
Boobies and Gannets
Suliformes all have webbing that connects four toes. Ths is also true for pelicans and tropicbirds. They contrast with ducks ang geese that have just 3 webbed toes. Quite recently, all of the suliformes were considered to belong to the same order as the pelicans: Pelicaniformes. Suliformes share another property with the pelicans, they all have bare gular sacs. Of course, this sac has evolved to the extreme with pelicans which use it for fishing.
Order Suliformes Family Sulidae
Family Sulidae is comprised of the gannets and boobies. One way to tell gannets from boobies isgannet feathers occur forward of eyes; booby feather stop at eyes.
They are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish and similar prey. Their body is streamlined which enables efficient diving. Like pelicans, sulids have a well-developed preen gland whose waxy secretions they spread on their feathers for waterproofing. They have stout legs and webbed feet, with the web connecting all four toes. In some species the webs are brightly colored and used in courtship displays. The bill is usually conspicuously colored, long, deep at the base, and pointed.
Gannets
Genus Morus
Gannets belong to the genu Morus. Morus comes from a Greek word meaning "foolish" and it was applied to gannets as when they are breeding they show little fear of humans and are easily killed. The three gannet species all have a yellowish head, black-tipped wings, a long bill, and large wingspans. They are fish eaters and plunge dive to capture their prey. Their wedge-shaped bill aids them to able to dive from 30 meters and thus enter the water at high speeds. Before entering the water, the wings are extended back and held close to the body so that there is less resistance from the water. Otherwise a 100 km/hr entry would break the wings.
The bill has no external nostrils as they would be problematic in a dive; instead the nostrils are in the mouth. Gannets are colonial breeders and it is not uncommon for the colony to number in the thousands.
Gannet, Australasian Morus serrator
Description: The Australasian gannet has mostly white plumage. It has black flight feathers, a yellow head, and a pale blue-grey bill edged in black. It has blue eye-rings that are outlined in black; plus there are black lores. The tail has 2 or 3 black central tail feathers; the rest of the tail is white. Their nest is a mound of earth, seaweed, and other debris. The male gathers the material and the female builds the nest. The Australasian gannet is up to 90 cm long.The similar masked booby does not have yellow on its head.
Range: Southern and eastern Australian coasts east to New Zealand.
Habitat: Breeds on small islands. Spends much time at sea, but usually not far from land.
Diet: Fish, squid. They will utilize fishing leftovers from fishing boats
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Antoine Hubert - New Zealand 2) Dysprosia - Melbourne Zoo 3) JJ_Harrison - Tasmania 4 ) JJ_HarrisonRange: Southern and eastern Australian coasts east to New Zealand.
Habitat: Breeds on small islands. Spends much time at sea, but usually not far from land.
Diet: Fish, squid. They will utilize fishing leftovers from fishing boats
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Gannet, Cape Morus capensis
Description: The Cape gannet has mostly white plumage. It has black flight feathers, a yellow head, and a pale blue-grey bill edged in black. It has blue eye-rings that are outlined in black; plus there are black lores. The tail is completely black. Their nest is a mound of earth, seaweed, and other debris. The male gathers the material and the female builds the nest. The Cape gannet is up to 90 cm long. The similar masked booby does not have yellow on its head. The similar Australasian gannet has some white on its tail.
Range: The coasts of southern Africa.
Habitat: Breeds on offshore islands. Spends much time at sea, but usually within 100 km of land.
Diet: Fish. They will utilize fishing leftovers from fishing boats.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Vanessa Stephen - Zambia 2, 3) Avitopia - South Africa 4) Ian White - ZambiaRange: The coasts of southern Africa.
Habitat: Breeds on offshore islands. Spends much time at sea, but usually within 100 km of land.
Diet: Fish. They will utilize fishing leftovers from fishing boats.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Gannet, Northern Morus bassanus Found: Eastern North America,
Description: The northern gannet has mostly white plumage; black flight feathers; yellow head, hind neck; pale blue bill edged in black; blue rimmed eyes with black borders. The tail is all white which contrasts it from the other 2 gannet species. The "northern" refers to the Northern Hemisphere, while the other 2 gannet species are found i the Southern Hemisphere. The similar masked booby has more black on its wings than the northern gannet which only has black on wing tips. Gannet feathers occur forward of eyes; booby feather stop at eyes.
Range: Atlantic coasts of North America, Europe, Africa. Medeterranian coasts of Europe, Asia, Africa.
Habitat: Breeds on offshore islands. Spends much time at sea over the continental shelf.
Diet: Fish.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1, 5) Alan D Wilson - Quebec 2) Dick Daniels - North Carolina 3) Tuxyso 4) Dick - Cape May Ferry 6) Carsten_Steger - GermanyRange: Atlantic coasts of North America, Europe, Africa. Medeterranian coasts of Europe, Asia, Africa.
Habitat: Breeds on offshore islands. Spends much time at sea over the continental shelf.
Diet: Fish.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
1) Chick 2) juvenile
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Booby
These birds were supposedly named thus because they so "stupid" they used to land on sailing ships and and let the sailors easily capture them after which they became dinner. They are so similar in looks and action to the gannets, there have been suggestions that all ten of the Sulidae family members should be placed in the same genus. That said, boobies are currently placed separately from gannetts. In fact they are placed in two genera. The Abbott's booby placed in Papsula and the remaining 5 boobies are placed in Sula.
Boobies plunge dive to capture their prey. Their wedge-shaped bill aids them to able to dive from more than meters and thus enter the water at high speeds. Before entering the water, the wings are extended back and held close to the body so that there is less resistance from the water. Facial air sacs under their skin cushion the impact with the water. Unlike pelicans, after the plunge dive, a booby may then pursue its prey underwater. They are also able to catch flying figh. Boobies are colonial breeders on islands and coasts. They normally lay one or more chalky-blue eggs on the ground.
Genus Papasula - 1 species
Booby,_Abbott's Papasula abbotti
Description: When seen in flight and from below the Abbott's booby has mainly white plumage - just the wing tips and the tail are black. While sitting it looks mainly black because of it folded wings - the only white showing are the the head and neck. It has extremely long and thin wings, unique for a bobby and more characteristic for an albatross. It has blue feet. The male has a pale grey bill with a black tip and the female has a pink bill with black tip.
Range: Breeds on Christmas Island in Indian Ocean.
Habitat: It is pelagic and can fly for thousands of miles. Usually stays within 100 km of Christmas Island when breeding.
Diet: Fish, squid.
Conservation status: It is listed as Endangered because of logging in its habitat, expecially for phosphate mining.
Image by: 1, 2) Christina_LipkaRange: Breeds on Christmas Island in Indian Ocean.
Habitat: It is pelagic and can fly for thousands of miles. Usually stays within 100 km of Christmas Island when breeding.
Diet: Fish, squid.
Conservation status: It is listed as Endangered because of logging in its habitat, expecially for phosphate mining.
Genus Sula
Booby,_Blue-footed Sula nebouxii Found: North America, South America, other Pacific Islands
Description: The blue-footed booby has brown upperparts. The head and neck are brown with white streaks. It has white underparts and bluish feet. During courtship, the male displays those lovely feet to his prospective partner. The blue-footed booby averages 81 cm long. The similar Peruvian booby has a pure white head and neck.
Range: Pacific coast of Mexico to Peru of South America. Also islands, especially the Galapagos. The range of the blue-footed booby and Nazca booby are very similar.
Habitat: Breeds on shores, but otherwise is strictly marine.
Diet: Fish.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) Dick Daniels - Galapagos Islands Range: Pacific coast of Mexico to Peru of South America. Also islands, especially the Galapagos. The range of the blue-footed booby and Nazca booby are very similar.
Habitat: Breeds on shores, but otherwise is strictly marine.
Diet: Fish.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
1) Juvenile
Booby,_Brown Sula leucogaster
Description: The brown booby has dark brown upperparts and breast. Its belly is white. The feet are yellow to yellow-green. The males have a blue orbital ring around the eyes, while for the female it is yellow. The brown booby is 75 to 80 cm long with the female longer than the male.
Range: Warm waters of North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia. It is the most common and most widespread booby.
Habitat: Breeds on rocky islands.
Diet: Fish, squid.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1, 2) New Jersey Birds 3) Charlie Westerinen
- California 4) Gustavo_Duran - Brazil 5) Dick - Kauai, HawaiiRange: Warm waters of North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia. It is the most common and most widespread booby.
Habitat: Breeds on rocky islands.
Diet: Fish, squid.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
1) Juvenile 5) From left to right: two Brown Boobies and a Great Frigatebird pursuing a Red-footed Booby that probably has a fish.
Booby,_Masked Sula dactylatra
Description: The masked booby has white upperparts except for the wings that are mostly black. The upper-tail is white at the base and black at the end. It has a white head with a small black mask plus black around the base of the bill. The neck and underparts are white with a black under-tail. The similar Nazcar booby has been considered as a subspecies of the masked booby; their main difference is in the color of the bill. The masked booby has a yellow bill and the Nazcar booby has an orange or red bill.
Range: Warm waters of North America, South America, Asia, Africa, The range of the masked booby and red-footed booby are very similar.
Habitat: Breeds on small islands.
Diet: Fish, squid.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Dwayne Meadows, NOAA - Hawaii 2) Tony Morris 3) angrysunbird - Hawaii 4,5) Coracias garrulus - Brazil Range: Warm waters of North America, South America, Asia, Africa, The range of the masked booby and red-footed booby are very similar.
Habitat: Breeds on small islands.
Diet: Fish, squid.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
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1) Juvenile
Booby,_Nazca Sula granti
Description: The Nazca booby has white upperparts except for the wings that are mostly black. The upper-tail is white at the base and black at the end. It has a white head with a small black mask plus black around the base of the bill. The neck and underparts are white with a black under-tail. The similar masked booby has been considered as a subspecies of the masked booby. Their main difference is in the color of the bill. The masked booby has a yellow bill and the Nazcar booby has an orange or red bill.
Range: Pacific coast of Central America and northern South America., Galapagos The range of the bule-footed booby and Nazca booby are very similar.
Habitat: Breeds on coastal islands. Otherwise marine and forages farther at sea than other bobbies.
Diet: Fish, squid.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) NH53 2) Allan Harris 3) Pekkab Isomursu 4) Putneymark 5) Soler97Range: Pacific coast of Central America and northern South America., Galapagos The range of the bule-footed booby and Nazca booby are very similar.
Habitat: Breeds on coastal islands. Otherwise marine and forages farther at sea than other bobbies.
Diet: Fish, squid.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
1) Juvenile
Booby,_Peruvian Sula variegata
Description: The Peruvian booby has brown upperparts with white markings on the wings. It has white head, neck, and underparts. The similar blue-footed booby has a brown head and neck with white streaks. The juvenile blue-footed booby has brown wings with no white; the juvenile Peruvian booby have darker brown wings with some white on them.
Range: Peru.
Habitat: Breeds on shores, but otherwise is strictly marine.
Diet: Fish.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Marcel Holyoak 2) Mathew Goulding 3) Island_Conservation 4) Rodolfo_WalkerRange: Peru.
Habitat: Breeds on shores, but otherwise is strictly marine.
Diet: Fish.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Booby,_Red-Footed Sula sula Found: North America, South America (Galapagos Islands), Asia, Australia
Description: The red-footed booby has red legs and feet. It has a bluish-grey bill and has a throat pouch. There a number of different morphs, with the white and dark morphs the most common. The white morph has mostly white plumage and black flight feathers; the dark morph has brown plumage.The red-footed booby is the smallest booby with a length of about 70 cm. In flight, the red-footed booby can be distinguished from masked booby by its all white tail. But identying the black-tailed morph of red-footed booby can be problematic.
Range: Warm waters of North America, South America, Asia, Africa, The range of the masked booby and red-footed booby are very similar.
Habitat: Breeds on well vegetated islands; pelagic otherwise.
Diet: Fish, squid.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Sara Yeomans - Galapagos 2)
Roy and Danielle - Galapagos 3)
Charles Sharp - Galapagos 4, 5) Gregg Yan - Philippines
6 , 7) Dick Daniels - Hawaii Range: Warm waters of North America, South America, Asia, Africa, The range of the masked booby and red-footed booby are very similar.
Habitat: Breeds on well vegetated islands; pelagic otherwise.
Diet: Fish, squid.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
1, 2, 3) Dark adult 4 - 7) White adult
