Photo: Marie de Carne / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Peruvian Booby
Sula variegata
Peruvian Booby (Sula variegata) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Peruvian Booby (Sula variegata) is a member of the Sulidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 1.4 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 variegata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.4 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Sulidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Peruvian 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 Peruvian Booby is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Peruvian Booby (Sula variegata) belongs to the Sulidae family of the order Suliformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA coastal n Peru to c Chile.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.4 kg, with a wing length of about 37 cm and a tail of around 16.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 230,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Peruvian Booby?
The Peruvian Booby is a very large bird that weighs around 1.4 kg.
Where does the Peruvian Booby live?
The Peruvian Booby is found across South America with a range covering SA coastal n Peru to c Chile, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Peruvian Booby belong to?
The Peruvian Booby (Sula variegata) belongs to the Sulidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Peruvian Booby eat?
The Peruvian Booby hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Peruvian Booby migrate?
The Peruvian Booby is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Peruvian 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 Peruvian Booby make?
1 real field recording of the Peruvian Booby — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Peruvian Booby's range?
The Peruvian Booby has a mapped global range of about 230,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Sulidae
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Seabirds & Tubenoses
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened