Brown Booby

Sula leucogaster

Also known as:White-bellied Booby

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Identification

Field notes

76 cm (30") Rare. Mostly tropical oceans. Fairly common in Gulf of Mexico, casual at Salton Sea and along Colorado River Valley. Blackish brown bird with contrasting white underparts and wing linings. Bill and feet yellowish. May follow ships and fish close to land perching on trees, buoys and oil rigs. Was called White-bellied Booby.

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Videos

1 video

Brown Booby, Piquero Pardo (Sula leucogaster)

Credit: Akator Expeditions - David Caro

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Brown Booby

2 rules

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 3

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour were the WING TIPS ?: Black or dark gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Pointed or wedge-shaped · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Hooked · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized · Larger than a goose
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Gull-like, or a Seabird
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Open ocean; beyond sight of land · Only or mostly in flight over saltwater
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States

result:509-brown-booby:1:1 Source: 509 Brown Booby, row 1

Rule 2 16 criteria confidence 3

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour were the WING TIPS ?: Black or dark gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?: Pointed or wedge-shaped · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Hooked · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Crow-sized · Goose-sized · Larger than a goose
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Gull-like, or a Seabird
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Open ocean; beyond sight of land · Only or mostly in flight over saltwater
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:509-brown-booby:2:1 Source: 509 Brown Booby, row 2