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Red-footed Boobies are big seabirds whose plumage can have different morphologies. In the white morphology the upper side of the back of the wing is black from the alula inwards to the tertiaries, on the underwing the entire trailing edge is black. There are additional black spots on the primaries. The cap is white, the black eyes are surrounded by a blue ring. Pink spots between the eyes and along the chin give the face an overall pink/blue appearance. The bill is turquoise-blue. The tail feathers are white, while the legs and feet are bright red. In the dark morphology the entire upper body and wings are dark-brown, while rump, tail and vent are white. Intermediate morphologies exist between these two, in which birds have partly greyish-brown or even golden feathers. Juveniles have dark-brown plumage.

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org .

The global distribution of the Red-footed Booby is available HERE .

Red-footed Boobies are birds of the tropical oceans all around the globe. Red-footed Boobies are found only in marine habitats, i.e. on the open oceans, never in fresh water. They are most easily spotted when hunting in shallow waters just off the coastline. They nest on tropical islands.

In Australia, Red-footed Boobies, race rubripes(?), reach the coastline only northward of the NSW/QLD border, and - outside their breeding season - occasionally farther South down the NSW coast. In the tropics (during their breeding season) they usually keep well away from land when not nesting.

Race "rubripes"

A. Ross-Taylor reports seeing Red-footed Boobies, race rubripes(?), from a cruiseship while in Australian territorial waters off the coast of QLD in April 2012.

M. Eaton found a Red-footed Booby, race rubripes(?), on Michaelmas Cay, QLD, in October 2024.