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Large seabird of inshore and offshore waters in tropical regions of the Atlantic, Indian, and western Pacific Oceans.
Not listed
Indigenous: Booby, Brown Gannet
At a glance
FamilyBoobies and Gannets
SizeGiant
RarityCommon
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from July to August.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by JAYRSON ARAUJO DE OLIVEIRA
Range map
Range map
1056visible hotspots
10276visible records
4states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Head, neck, and upperparts are solidly brown. Adult has a well-demarcated white belly and immature has a variably mottled brown belly that rarely looks solidly brown. Compare with other boobies and with juvenile Northern Gannet. Often seen from beaches, sometimes just beyond the breakers. Recently showing up more regularly as a vagrant on inland lakes and reservoirs in the U. S. and Canada, and further north along the Atlantic coast. Similar to recently split Cocos Booby, but usually separated by range, and never shows a whitish head.
Behavior
Large seabird of inshore and offshore waters in tropical regions of the Atlantic, Indian, and western Pacific Oceans. Breeds in colonies on offshore islands, nesting on the ground.
Gallery