Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii), Martinez Lake, Yuma County

This Blue-footed Booby was discovered by Henry Detwiler, Jeff Coker and Jay Keller and photographed by Henry Detwiler on 19 September 2009 at the western edge of Martinez Lake in Yuma County.  Attempts to relocate the bird on subsequent days were unsuccessful. 

Since the Arizona Bird Committee was formed, there have only been 3 accepted records of this species in Arizona, the last in 1996.  Three other reports were published in North American Birds but not documented to the committee.  Prior to that time there were about half a dozen reports mentioned in Monson and Phillips (1981) including one that was present continuously at this site from 1958 to 1960. 

All other boobies have dark tails.  Brown Booby has occurred about half a dozen times in Arizona. 

19 September 2009, photos by Henry Detwiler

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