In love with blue feet: Our encounter with the Boobies
Blue-footed boobies…
The locals affectionately call these charming birds "Boobies".
The English name "booby" Incidentally, it's based on the Spanish word bobo back, which means as much as "foolish" or "clumsy" means.
The name originated because the birds are not very shy on land and appear somewhat clumsy even from a distance. With their bright blue feet and inquisitive gaze, blue-footed boobies look as if nature has played a special joke on them. Yet these extraordinary birds are among the most famous inhabitants of the Galápagos Islands.
Their famous courtship dance is particularly fascinating. A male struts slowly in front of a female, alternately raising his bright blue feet as if performing a carefully rehearsed dance. The more intense the blue, the more attractive the bird is considered to potential mates. What at first seems almost comical is actually an important part of mate selection.
The encounter with the blue boobies also shows what makes the islands so special: In the Galápagos, you don't have to painstakingly observe the animals from a great distance. Nature here constantly and inevitably comes to meet you on its own.
