n 9 July Joe Zarolinski and Ron Smith found an ABA Code-3 Brown Booby in the bayside waters of Phillippe Park in Pinellas County, FL, perched on a power pole in the bay.
Of the Sulidae, Boobies and Gannets, Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) is thought to be the most common and widespread of all the members of the family. They feed primarily in inshore wates, most often plunge-diving for food consisting primarily of flying fish, then squid, halfbeak, and anchovies (HBW, Vol. 1). Brown Boobies also practice kleptoparasitism, especially stealing food from Masked Booby and on occasion even from frigatebirds. Brown Booby is one of three Pantropical species (Red-footed and Masked Boobies the other two) and all three species share a comparable distribution and natural history.
Photo courtesy of Irene Hernandez.
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