Photo: Duncan Wright, USFWS / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Masked Booby
Sula dactylatra
Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Oceans & Seabirds.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) is a member of the Sulidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 1.7 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Suliformes
- Family Sulidae Gannets, Boobies
- Genus Sula
- Species dactylatra
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.7 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Sulidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Masked 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 Masked Booby is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) belongs to the Sulidae family of the order Suliformes. Its range spans Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers TrO widespread, subtropical and tropical islands.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.7 kg, with a wing length of about 41.2 cm and a tail of around 17.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 130.2 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Masked Booby?
The Masked Booby is a very large bird that weighs around 1.7 kg.
Where does the Masked Booby live?
The Masked Booby is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering TrO widespread, subtropical and tropical islands, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Masked Booby belong to?
The Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) belongs to the Sulidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Masked Booby eat?
The Masked Booby hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Masked Booby migrate?
The Masked Booby is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Masked Booby endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Masked Booby make?
1 real field recording of the Masked Booby — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Masked Booby's range?
The Masked Booby has a mapped global range of about 130.2 million 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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