Photo: Marc Figueras (Oersted) / CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Nazca Booby
Sula granti
Nazca Booby (Sula granti) — 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 Nazca Booby (Sula granti) 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 granti
Where it lives
San Benedicto (Revillagigedo, far west of central Mexico), Clipperton I. (far southwest of Mexico), I. del Coco (far southwest of Costa Rica), I. Malpelo (far west of Colombia), Galápagos, I. de la Plata (just west of central Ecuador) and Lobos de Afuera (just west of northwestern Peru)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.7 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Sulidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Nazca 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 Nazca Booby is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Nazca Booby (Sula granti) is a species of bird in the Sulidae family, part of the order Suliformes. It occurs naturally across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers PO San Benedicto (Revillagigedo, far w of c Mexico), Clipperton I. (far sw of Mexico), I. del Coco (far sw of Costa Rica), I. Malpelo (far w of Colombia), Galápagos, I. de la Plata (just w of c Ecuador) and Lobos de Afuera (just w of nw Peru).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.7 kg, with a wing length of about 41.7 cm and a tail of around 18.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Nazca Booby?
The Nazca Booby is a very large bird that weighs around 1.7 kg.
Where does the Nazca Booby live?
The Nazca Booby is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering PO San Benedicto (Revillagigedo, far w of c Mexico), Clipperton I. (far sw of Mexico), I. del Coco (far sw of Costa Rica), I. Malpelo (far w of Colombia), Galápagos, I. de la Plata (just w of c Ecuador) and Lobos de Afuera (just w of nw Peru), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Nazca Booby belong to?
The Nazca Booby (Sula granti) belongs to the Sulidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Nazca Booby eat?
The Nazca Booby hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Nazca Booby migrate?
The Nazca Booby is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Nazca 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 Nazca Booby make?
1 real field recording of the Nazca Booby — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Nazca Booby's range?
The Nazca Booby has a mapped global range of about 1.4 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.
Explore more birds
More in Sulidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Endangered
Least Concern
More in Seabirds & Tubenoses
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern