Brown Booby

Large seabird of inshore and offshore waters in tropical regions of the Atlantic, Indian, and western Pacific Oceans. Head, neck, and upperparts are solidly brown. Adult has a well-demarcated white belly and immature has a variably mottled brown belly that rarely looks solidly brown. Compare with other boobies and with juvenile Northern Gannet. Often seen from beaches, sometimes just beyond the breakers. Breeds in colonies on offshore islands, nesting on the ground. Recently showing up more regularly as a vagrant on inland lakes and reservoirs in the U.S. and Canada, and further north along the Atlantic coast. Similar to recently split Cocos Booby, but usually separated by range, and never shows a whitish head.

Brown boobies nest in tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They prefer breeding habitats that are free of human disturbance and predators.

In Sri Lanka, a Brown Booby's diet primarily consists of small fish like flying fish, anchovies, halfbeaks, mullet, Indian mackerel, and squid, which they catch by plunge diving near the surface of the water; they may also occasionally eat shrimp depending on availability.