{"id":25385,"title":"All about the Blue Footed Booby","description":"What is a blue footed booby and why are they called that? Fun facts and trivia about this bizarre seabird and a personal story as to why it was chosen as one of the first designs.","content":"

The Blue Footed Booby is the subject of one of my favourite Toadstools & Frogsofas designs but why choose to celebrate this strange creature? Here\u2019s all you need to know about this bonkers bird.<\/p>


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\"nh7qmbo8ritz8eadsvgippn5xxhxh885jmqwol6wbew3zmom.jpg\"Blue footed booby peeping out the grass. Copyright Toadstools & Frogsofas.
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What is a blue footed booby?<\/h2>

The blue footed booby is a marine bird, one of six species of booby but far the most famous due to it distinctive bright blue beak and feet.
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Where does the blue footed booby live?<\/h2>

The blue footed booby is probably best known as being native to the islands of Galapagos, off the coast of Ecuador in South America, but in fact they live all the way along the Eastern Pacific coast of the Americas from California to Peru.\u00a0
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Who named the blue footed booby?<\/h2>

It\u2019s thought that early Spanish explorers named these birds. They blue footed bit is fairly self explanatory, but word \u2018booby\u2019 comes from the Spanish word 'bobo' meaning 'a little slow to understand.' Boobies are quite clumsy and seem to have no fear of humans, so are considered dim witted.<\/p>

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\"6biedteufrvia61cd07vshaaap0qrupltbo9drnvxehqjxhx.jpg\"The famous blue feet. Copyright Toadstools & Frogsofas.
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What does the blue footed booby eat?<\/h2>

Being marine birds, boobies are fish eaters. They are excellent swimmers and divers, much better at moving in the air or at sea than on land! Blue footed boobies fly far out to sea in pursuit of shoals of small fish such as anchovies, sardines and mackerel.
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What is the booby dance?<\/h2>

The mating dance of the blue footed booby is all about the feet. The brightness of the feet is a sign of health and fertility so the male shows them off to the female by doing a dance, raising each foot up in turn so she can see them in all their glory.<\/p>

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\"gqxfqksqljttxua29qyqpw82sthlnqvxluwmsdw9dmeyzzao.jpg\"Booby totally nailing that booby dance. Copyright Toadstools & Frogsofas.
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My experience of Blue Footed Boobies<\/h2>

I was lucky enough to see these beautiful birds up close on a once in a lifetime trip to the Galapagos Islands in 2012. We visited North Seymour Island, where there is a huge popular of boobies. I can confirm that the above it true, and these birds were not in the least bit bothered about the humans observing them in fact, the booby pictured seemed only too happy to show off it\u2019s egg. This does leave me with mixed emotions, I only hope all the humans they encounter are as respectful as we were.

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\"girxmouqsyhdxiyeh97lnhu4mah3pwu8igptiesl4t98b9uw.jpg\"Blue Footed Booby, North Seymour. Copyright Toadstools & Frogsofas.
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Booby T-Shirt<\/u><\/a>\"w4awyrsdcvojnfmxyt3qhatdldiwofdo1lyfvvppioy65igi.jpeg\"<\/p>

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