Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Smithsonian Institution Archives.
| www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
Red-footed Booby
Red-feet were observed to feed almost exactly like Browns. They both
sat on the water and dabbled and also flew over the water until a fish or other
food was spotted and then dove almost vertically into the water.
Feeding Flock Structure
In the flocks observed, each species seemed to consistently occupy the
same position within the flock. Frigatebirds for example stayed above the
main feeding flock -- often 200 yards above the flock. In one flock frigates
were observed to come down to the level of the other species. Sooty and Fairy
Terns stayed above the flock but were constantly diving down to the water and
coming back up above the other birds. Common, Hawaiian and Blue-gray Noddies
stayed just above the water surface following the fish school very closely.
Wedge-tailed and Newell's Shearwaters were observed to follow the action of
the terns but also flew around the area, neither staying up with the terns
nor the fish school. Both species of booby flew all over the area; some-
times flying up with the Sooty and Fairy Terns; other times flying lower with
the various Noddies.