Photo: Christina Lipka / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Abbott’s Booby
Papasula abbotti
Abbott's Booby (Papasula abbotti) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
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The Abbott’s Booby (Papasula abbotti) is a member of the Sulidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 1.6 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Endangered.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Suliformes
- Family Sulidae Gannets, Boobies
- Genus Papasula
- Species abbotti
Where it lives
Christmas I. (south of western Java); formerly Assumption (Aldabra group, southwestern Seychelles), Mauritius and Rodrigues (central, eastern Mascarenes, southwestern Indian Ocean); subfossil remains from Solomon Is., Vanuatu, and Marquesas (northeastern Polynesia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.6 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Sulidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Abbott’s Booby hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Abbott’s Booby is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Abbott’s Booby (Papasula abbotti) is a member of the Sulidae family, within the order Suliformes. Its range spans Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers IO Christmas I. (s of w Java); formerly Assumption (Aldabra group, sw Seychelles), Mauritius and Rodrigues (c, e Mascarenes, sw Indian Ocean); subfossil remains from Solomon Is., Vanuatu, and Marquesas (ne Polynesia).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.6 kg, with a wing length of about 44.2 cm and a tail of around 20.5 cm.
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 678,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Abbott’s Booby?
The Abbott’s Booby is a very large bird that weighs around 1.6 kg.
Where does the Abbott’s Booby live?
The Abbott’s Booby is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering IO Christmas I. (s of w Java); formerly Assumption (Aldabra group, sw Seychelles), Mauritius and Rodrigues (c, e Mascarenes, sw Indian Ocean); subfossil remains from Solomon Is., Vanuatu, and Marquesas (ne Polynesia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Abbott’s Booby belong to?
The Abbott’s Booby (Papasula abbotti) belongs to the Sulidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Abbott’s Booby eat?
The Abbott’s Booby hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Abbott’s Booby migrate?
The Abbott’s Booby is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Abbott’s Booby endangered?
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
How large is the Abbott’s Booby's range?
The Abbott’s Booby has a mapped global range of about 678,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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