Red-footed Boobies are pelagic birds, meaning they live on open water, coming to islands and lands to nest. These tropical sea birds are typically found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Red-footed Boobies hunt for fish and squid by flying slowly above the ocean, and swiftly plunge-diving to capture their prey. This is a very rare patient for this region, in fact, it is the first of its species that has been documented in Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties according to E-Bird.

This adult dark morph Red-footed Booby (24-3288) and was found on a Sanibel beach on August 5. The finders reported they saw the Booby in the same spot for several hours without flying away. Staff suspected the patient was blown off its course due to Hurricane Debby. It is not uncommon for rare or pelagic birds to be admitted to wildlife hospitals after a storm, sometimes due to underlying illness causing the bird to get carried away from their typical regions.

Upon admission, the booby had a scabbed abrasion on its leg, was thin, but was overall bright and alert. Staff administered pain and anti-inflammatory medication and fluids. Since admission, the patient has been receiving daily “tub time” to help maintain the waterproofing quality of the feathers. It is often difficult for pelagic birds, such as this Booby to be successfully rehabilitated due to them being grounded for so long. This species is used to constant flying over open oceans, so once they are unable to fly for extended periods of time it is difficult for them to regain their flight muscles. Staff is closely monitor the patient as it continues to make great progress in care!

CROW Case of the Week stories are written by our Education and Marketing Intern, Allessandra Spada, and edited by Ali Reece. These stories appear weekly in Santiva Chronicle. Click HERE.