Boobies get their name from the Spanish 'bobo', which roughly translates as foolish, idiotic, and silly. In the 18th century, Spanish sailors named the birds 'bobo' because of how easily they could be captured, and for their goofy takeoffs and landings.
Red-footed boobies in the Galapagos Islands, like the one photographed here, are mostly brown morphs, a greyish brown overall with dark streaks and some white feathering on their underparts. A more generalized white morph can also occur, however.
National Geographic
