Red- footed boobies nest on trees and bushes above the ground because they have prehensile feet that allow them to grip branches. Strong fliers, they usually undertake very long foraging trips many miles offshore. These colorful marine birds feed mainly at night and prey mostly on fish and squid, which they catch with spectacular and acrobatic plunge dives. When boobies spot fish, they maneuver in the air until they are directly above their prey, then plunge dive before folding their wings. They hit the water at the speed of an arrow from a height of about 60 feet, and grab the unsuspecting and stunned fish before it has time to flee. Just prior to impact, a special membrane called "nictitating" (a third translucent eyelid) sweeps across from the front of the eye to help protect the eyeball.
Another interesting adaptation to plunge dive is found in their nostrils. In order to prevent two high-powered jets of water from getting into the nostrils and piercing the brain during the fast dives, boobies have nostrils shielded by horny deflector plates on the bill. Additionally, air sacs in their heads help to absorb the shock of the high-speed impact they receive at each dive. The Spanish name given to these birds is "piquero", meaning lancer. This beautifully describes their fancy and skilful way of foraging: swift falling javelins from the sky.
In today's picture, we can fully appreciate close up the beauty of the subtle details observed in the face of this truly beautiful marine bird, with incredible and fascinating colors and textures certainly difficult to describe. These traits always captivate the attention of our visitors. Enjoy them!
