Add Animal
    Mammals
    Mammals Birds Amphibians Reptiles Animals Ray-finned fishes Myxini – Hagfishes Petromyz' – Lampreys Sharks & rays Holocep' – Chimaeras Dipneusti – Lungfish Coelac' – Coelacanths Insecta – Insects / bugs Gastropoda – Snails & slugs Cephalopoda – Squids & octopuses Arachnida – Spiders & scorpions Malacostraca – Malacostracans Diplopoda – Millipedes Bivalvia – Marine molluscs Chilopoda – Centipedes Pycnogonida – Sea spiders Merostomata – Horseshoe crabs More Classes
    Filters

    Regions

    See AllSelect

    Habitat

    See AllSelect

    Sula – Boobies

    Members of this genus are named after the word “stupid”

    The name of this genus of seabirds comes from a nordic word, whereas the English name “booby” comes from the Spanish word “Bobo” which means “stupid.”

    These birds were given this name because it was incredibly common for them to go on the ships of sailors and just sit there without any fear of humans, making them an easy target for capturing and consuming.

    Boobies are active throughout the day and spend all their time in the water when not reproducing. They can swim underwater and dive into the ocean after their prey, often from enormous heights, to catch it.