Sulas, more commonly known as boobies live on both the Palomino and Ballestas Islands off the coast of Peru. This is picturesque Pisco Harbor, gateway to Islas Ballestas.
There are six different types of sula species. They are commonly called boobies because of the comical method in which they land, often stumbling over their large feet, and because they were incorrectly assumed to be not be very intelligent. These are quite smart Peruvian Booby adults and juveniles on Islas Ballestas.
Peruvian Boobies are confined to areas near The Humboldt Current, in Peru, Chile and Ecuador.
They have pure white heads and chests.
Blue Footed Boobies have brown heads and the famous blue feet. 50% of them live in the Galapagos.
The rest are distributed from the Gulf of California to Peru.
Sulas are rather tame birds, and will let a cautious and respectful visitor approach closely.
Cheers to you from Peru’s fascinating, and quite bright, sulas~
Good country
Viva Peru <3
Viva. E viva o Brasil! E viva você!!!
Viva Brasil tan bien! <3
Gorgeous shots, Cindy! Their blue feet and faces are so pretty!
Thank you Terri. I just love them. They are such friendly birds.
I think it was blue-footed boobies that I saw in Baja California, diving for fish from up in the air. I used to wonder if their eyes would suffer after so much diving into salt water.
Wonderful you saw them. Birds do fly underwater. Fascinating to see. I used to swim all the time in the ocean with my eyes open. The ocean is saline like our tears, only chlorinated pool water bothered my eyes.
Yes, that’s true about the chlorine. I was wondering about the impact on the eyes, from diving repeatedly. It seemed to me that they hit the water awfully hard as they arrowed down from the sky.
Good point. I wonder if they have a nictitating membrane, many birds whose eyes get in harms way, do, it covers the eye when predation activity puts them at risk.
I suppose “nature” must have taken care of it or we’d have a lot of blind blue-footed boobies around.
Another good point. <3
They’re adorable. So cute. 🙂
Thanks Lynette. They are super cute birds!
How WONDERFUL. Beautiful birds and fabulous photographs. Thank you.
Awww, cheers to you kind friend <3
So glad to see this many beautiful and happy birds. Great photo, Cindy!
I <3 people who <3 happy birds!
More wonders of the natural world–those blue feet! They’re quite striking creatures.
They appear cross-eyed, because they stare at you with these big old beaks in the middle of their eyes. So cute and distinctive.
they seem to be rock climbers.
Absolutely they are. They are comfortable on precarious perches. They feet seem to stick them to the sides of the cliffs.
Oh wow! They are so pretty! Wonderful pictures!
Awww, much appreciated. Thank you!
Wonderful shots., Cindy. Love the blue feet. 😃
Don’t step on those blue booby shoes!
🤣
Incredible, Cindy…the images of the blue-footed sulas are truly remarkable!
Safe travels!!
Thank you Sheila! We are home now and had a perfectly safe trip.
These are great pictures. I’ve never seen a bird with blue feet. Thanks for sharing!
Mother Nature gave them striking zapatos!
Beautiful birds.
Yes, they are beautiful <3
🙂
It is fascinating! The birds are gorgeous and a testament to natural, largely uninhibited by man’s nasty footprints, freedom of wild species. I wish all in the wild were as blessed!
Wonderful shots, Cindy!
I wish it were too. It is quite special to see such places, undestroyed by human perfidy..
Fascinating portrait shot of a sula somewhere in the middle of your photo essay, Cindy! Incredibly sharp and beautiful image!
Ahhh, thank you for noticing Peter!
Cindy, thank you for these lovely photographs!
Happy you enjoyed & cheers to you Charles!
Cindy, you’ve really captured a lot of personality in these photos. What adorable birds. LOL, it makes me wish I could have used one in my serial, rather than a magpie… but that just wouldn’t have the same effect. Hugs on the wing!
Hugs back to you Teagan and glad you liked these guys <3
I love these birds … I wrote about them not too long ago … love watching them!
They are fascinating aren’t they!
They are quite beautiful even with their silly name. Interesting how people make assumptions about things.
Very true, assumptions make an a** of you and me, and everyone else too.
Oh so beautiful. I remember being on one of the Galapagos Islands and the first time Don and I saw a blue-footed booby. We were so excited.
Alison
Thank you Alison. I hear you and I get that same way no matter how many times I see them!
Cindy, Your stories and photos are always so interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers Gary & thanks!
Such incredible detail. I appreciate all the sharing you do.
Oh my goodness, those blue feet…
I know, those feet, it was like Mother Nature went out of her way to make them special. She does that with all of us. We just to look, and see.
I agree!
<3
You get to visit such interesting places that I will not experience myself, so I enjoy your photo-essays a lot. These photographs bring the birds ‘home’ to me.
“These photographs bring the birds ‘home’ to me.”
This makes me happy I posted.
I am consistently blown away by your photographs and the amazing creatures where you live <3
Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
Photos by Cindy Knoke of different types of sulas, or boobies.
You are such a kind friend Patricia. Thank you & cheers too <3
Beautiful !
Muchas gracias mi amable amiga <3
Cindy, they now rank close to my favorite bird which is the seagull. We do love the sea… Thank you for introducing me to these magnificent birds. <3
Well, we are both California girls, so the sea runs in our veins. Be well my friend and kiss France for me <3
Really very nice captures, I attended a few ornithological excursions in the past so I can imagine how difficult it is sometimes to see a bird only with the own eyes somestimes.
Yes, bird spotting is definitely an art in itself.
As beautiful as ever
Mother Nature doesn’t mess around! Thank you Derrick & be well my friend.
Thank you, Cindy
<3 <3
You made my morning! XO
Your kind comment just made mine <3
<3
liebe Cindy, das war echt schön, ich hoffe, es war ein guter Start in die Woche für dich?
Alles ist gut, danke. Ich wünsche dir eine wundervolle und ruhige Woche. <3
beste Grüße und alles Gute
<3 <3
These are lovely shots, Cindy. I love these boobies. 🙂
I <3 my friend who <3 birds <3
Cheers Cindy!
<3 <3
You always find the most interesting subjects Cindy and you show their personality, well done!
Leslie
Muchas gracias mi amiga muy amable <3
De nada Cindy.
Leslie xoxo
<3
fantastic pictures! 🙂
Much appreciated! Thanks you.
I’m more than happy to PERUse these awe-inspiring photos, my dear friend. They would SUre LASt forever. ღƪ(ˆ◡ˆ)ʃ♡ƪ(ˆ◡ˆ)ʃ♪
The sulas, and I, are grateful for you <3 ღƪ(ˆ◡ˆ)ʃ♡ƪ(ˆ◡ˆ)ʃ♪
ღゝ◡╹)ノ♡
<3
It is just amazing how you capture these birds in their natural habitat. Their feet are beautiful. They look like duck feet. I can see that you are enjoying your stay in Peru. You are doing a marvellous job.
Thank you for your thoughtful and kind comments Beverly. They are much appreciated. Cheers to you my friend <3
No problem. I enjoyed them and I want to be like you when I retired. To God be the glory.
Amen <3
I’ve fallen for the boobies.
You and me both. It’s why we get along so well <3
I have figured it all out now. You really are a National Geographic photographer, aren’t you? Always, always, always amazing to stop by…
Awww, I love traveling with you Rebecca <3
Such beautiful Boobies, Cindy. Love the pose of the one showing his/her behind and looking right at you. <3 Are you still on holidays?
Laughing……quite cheeky wasn’t she!!!
A great shot of the close up of the bird head! They look amazing with such contrast color of their feet.
They are remarkable aren’t they! It was like Mother Nature was almost done making them, stopped, looked, said, “Nah, too boring….” and gave them bright blue feet!
These are beautiful birds! I love their matching beaks and feet. Lovely shots Cindy.
I <3 my friends who <3 birds <3
I didn’t know that’s why they are called Boobies. I think they are beautiful birds.
I appreciate the way you think <3
Gosh those blue feet! And white heads! Like paintings!
I would love to see paintings of sulas. I don’t think I ever have.
Incredibly sharp pics!!! I could even spot their beautiful blue feet!!! I need to watch a video of their landing now 😄
It is on flat surfaces where they have the most problems and it is comical to watch….
I am trying to imagine that 😄😄
<3 <3
The blue feet really stand out. Nice birds.
Mother Nature has great fashion sense!
Yes she does! 😊
Gorgeous photos of these spectacular birds. Love those blue feet!
Thanks you Jennie, far more stylish than blue suede shoes!
That’s so funny, Cindy!
Another species of bird I’ve never seen — thank you, Cindy, for educating me today!
You are most welcome Debbie & cheers to you~
Blue feet. Nature never ceases to amaze. Great photos, Cindy. 🙂
It’s funny how people judged sulas as not being very intelligent in part because they were clumsy on land – as if sea birds should be sure-footed. I see a metaphor for how we judge other people…
Beautiful birds, Cindy. xxx
So pleased you like them Adele <3
Boobies are my favorite! And fuzzy young boobies too. What an awesome trip!!!
Ahhh, you noticed the chicks! You are a good birder.
I can hardly wait until my return to Peru ~ so much to see there, great post and information to go with your photography.
Thank you Randall & it is wonderful to hear from you!
Nice , lively and colorful images. Birds are the beautiful and lucky ones; they travel the world and the world travels the birds. These are interesting birds for sure.
Birds are lucky. They can fly away from us! <3
LOL!
<3
You really got the sharp colours in the bill and feet that blue is striking.
Love to you Charlotte.
Love the birds in this post and the one above.
Peru..wow! As in ‘darkest’ like Paddington Bear. That must be an adventure!
Smiling, sweet Paddington. Peru is a wonderful adventure.
Awww.. What a beautiful bird! 💕
Thank you Bernice <3 I love them to bits! They are so much fun to watch.
I have never seen these exotic birds in person. But your photos are awesome. I feel like I can reach out and touch them. 💕
Just gorgeous Cindy! I love the blue feet. 😍
Aren’t they wonderful. So much fun to hang out with!
Good to see the variety of birds. We were there in 1999. Me and my two kids as they were young then.
It is wonderful that you took them there!
I had a good friend in Lima and had always wanted to go and visit. Bit challenging with kids but we all managed well.
Amazing you did that. It shaped your children in a positive way.
I love the blue beak. I looked and saw a beautiful mountain there topped with ice, I saw a roaring ocean. I know that sounds strange but I saw beauty in your beautiful photo of God’s creation.
When I am in breathtaking natural vistas like this I feel very close to God and creation. It is why I keep going back. It makes me happy you feel as I do and thank you. <2
you are so welcome and thank you again, for sharing them with us! 🙂
<3 <3
I love blue footed boobies! Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos, Cindy!
Thank you more for your very kind appreciation & thanks for stopping by! დ