General

Masked Booby: Large seabird with white body, black trailing edge on wings, and pointed black tail. Head has black mask and long, pointed, yellow bill. Legs and feet are yellow-gray. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is gray-brown above, white below, and has dark gray legs.

Range and Habitat

Masked Booby: Breeds in Bahamas and West Indies, and on other islands in tropical Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Rare visitor to coasts of Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, and in Gulf Stream to the Carolinas. Pelagic, only comes ashore to breed.

Breeding and Nesting

Masked Booby: One or two chalky white eggs are laid in a shallow ground depression with a slight rim of pebbles. Incubation ranges from 38 to 49 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Masked Booby: Eats primarily fish and squid; forages by plunge diving, sometimes from as high as 40 feet and to depths of 6 to 10 feet underwater.

Vocalization

Masked Booby: On breeding grounds, makes a high-pitched whistle; usually silent at sea.

Similar Species

Masked Booby: Nazca Booby has an orange bill. Red-footed Booby is smaller, has white tail, white inner secondaries, pink facial skin, and red legs.