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Red-footed booby in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Fuzz to feathers
The smallest member of the booby and gannet family, the red-footed booby still cuts a pretty strong figure in the sky with a wingspan of around 1.5 metres. Of course, it's going to be a while before this little seabird chick takes flight. First, it'll need to shed its baby fuzz to make way for that first coat of feathers. All red-footed booby chicks start life covered in white down. As they mature, their plumage takes on a brown, white or multicoloured morph depending on the individual's genetics. Regardless of feather pattern, though, adults of both sexes sport the species' signature ruby-red stompers.
Fuzz to feathers
The smallest member of the booby and gannet family, the red-footed booby still cuts a pretty strong figure in the sky with a wingspan of around 1.5 metres. Of course, it's going to be a while before this little seabird chick takes flight. First, it'll need to shed its baby fuzz to make way for that first coat of feathers. All red-footed booby chicks start life covered in white down. As they mature, their plumage takes on a brown, white or multicoloured morph depending on the individual's genetics. Regardless of feather pattern, though, adults of both sexes sport the species' signature ruby-red stompers.
This seabird chick will end up with a wingspan of about 1.5 metres when it grows up.
© robertharding / Adobe Stock 2026-09-11 08:45:51 :