B is For Booby

May 2, 2008

Of course it’s a bird. What where you thinking? For shame!

These three little guys (small and still immature)
live with the Albatross at Sea Life Park.

The booby got its wonderful name from the Spanish word, bobo, which means “stupid fellow”. The name was given in part to the fact that booby are very clumsy on land, and sometimes tumble over when trying to walk on their large webbed feet. However, they are also amazingly calm and will land on boats and just sit there, allowing themselves to be picked up and slaughtered. Because of that, they were a favorite food of sailors. In fact, Captain Bligh of the Bounty and his crew, supposedly survived by eating booby after being set adrift after the mutiny lead by Fletcher Christian.

26 Comments

  • The hints of yellow on their feathers are beautiful. I especially like the bird in the first photo. It looks so soft and right at home. I want to stroke it.

  • melli says:

    So they lived on booby while sifting through their booty on the bounty, huh? Hm.

    I really never HAD heard of this bird! I know LOONS – and that they are looney! But I never knew a booby! This challenge is proving quite educational so far! ;)

  • Robert says:

    Great pictures, a lesson on the Booby, and a little history thrown in. You ARE a teacher! Nicely done. :)

  • Uncle Joe says:

    There is/was a real family in my hometown with the last name Bobo. I’m sort of glad they stuck with the original Spanish spelling.

  • Andrew says:

    I learned something — thank you!

  • Minkydo says:

    Pretty birds. Thanks for the added information :)

  • Mar says:

    Beautiful shots of this booby, I didn’t know about him !
    My B is posted here!

  • Jill says:

    Boobyfull. I remember reading the Bounty story now I know what the bird looks like.

  • Shelly says:

    What bountiful blue eye-shadow, more B! My B is up, BTW.

  • polona says:

    how interesting… i’ve only recently read about blue-footed boobies and their courtship dance

  • shrinky says:

    Oh, that is so sad – one of the few birds to trust humans end up being barbequed them! There is a moral somewhere in this tale, isn’t there??

  • Brian says:

    I like Booby, the blue-footed kind.

    I hope OC has a great time in Miami. Too bad that’s five hours south of here, I would have loved to meet him.

  • Dr. John says:

    We had a dog named BoBo. He will show up in my pictures under D for dog.
    I loved your pictures.

  • I didn’t know about the Spanish derivation of the word. Then again, I didn’t know a lot of things!!

    Say G’day to OC for me, will ya!

  • nea says:

    A rather pretty bird. I like birds, something about flying has always appealed to me, so I get a kick out of their ability to fly. and I love to feed them. I don’t like to see them killed. I know that as a food source, I suppose it was you do to keep alive if needs, must, but since I don’t need to eat them, I surely wouldn’t. My uncle used to have exotic birds. golden pheasants and quail. I couldn’t stand to see people eating quail, they are so terribly cute. I feed birds here in my back yard santuary, and it always makes me feel so good to watch the morning doves, they coo so prettily. Can’t imagine anyone eating one.

  • VE says:

    Boobies have a special place in my heart. Oh, you’re talking about the bird? Actually the definition fits me to a T!

  • baba's blog says:

    This photo challenge is fun and very educational…. thanks for sharing the Booby bird with us… I like this fellow…

  • Carolyn says:

    Snicker. You said Booby.

    Great photos. It reminds me of when I worked on the cruise ship and we would go through the Panama Canal. Brown Boobies would often land on the ship and there was a joke on the bridge that whomever had lost some bet or another would have to get on the ship’s PA to announce there were Brown Boobies spotted on the Port side (or wherever). It always made me laugh out loud because sometimes they would mention Brown Boobies when there were no birds at all, but sunbathing beauties instead…

  • Donna~K says:

    They may be clumsy but they sure are pretty.

    LOL @Carolyn

  • Reba says:

    Whoof!!
    What is a Booby Bird?
    It’s a bird that sticks its head into a bee hive and says “BOO BEE”!

    Okay, so it’s a sick joke. I’m a dog, what do you expect? A professional comedienne?

    Arf, arf, arf.

  • Alice says:

    I’ve heard of the Booby Bird before, but have never seen one. Beautiful birds!! But I wouldn’t have expected anything else. Great photos!!! I’m loving this challenge, though haven’t had time yet to visit others and am so looking forward to that.

  • QuillDancer says:

    Everyone — thanks for playing. I have been very busy of late and unable to keep up. I’ll get back to answering comments soon! (I hope.)

  • QuillDancer says:

    All B Alphabet Challenge Participants

    Melli
    Robert
    Minkydo
    Mar
    Alice
    Baba
    Reba
    Shelly
    Dr. John
    Julianna
    Gattina
    Karen

    This is everybody who left a trail so I could find their post.

  • Jamie Dawn says:

    Whew! It’s good to know that the plural of Booby is Booby and not Boobies.
    I can take Booby, but Boobies would have put me over the edge.

    I guess calling someone a boob comes from the Booby.
    :-)

  • Cindy says:

    Here I am- late again…
    I’ve never heard of such a bird but I’m glad they have a sanctuary in that park.

  • QuillDancer says:

    JD — you’ve been living in AR too long!

    Cindy — purdy ain’t he? Welcome to the alphabet challenge!

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