"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them." Matthew 6:36.
Early-day sailors gave this bird the name booby because its strange antics seemed stupid to them. There are several varieties, but the most outstanding is one called the blue-footed booby. Well named, its broad, four-toed, webbed feet and short, stubby, bare legs are a bright enamel blue. They look as if they were painted. Its beak is blue as well, but not the same bright shade. Its wide wings are brown and its breast and underparts are pure white-a very pretty bird.
The Creator has well adapted the booby to its kind of life, living near the coasts and on nearby islands of the Pacific Ocean off Central America and Mexico. Waterproof plumage allows it to rest on the ocean surface as well as dive for fish. Wide, strong wings take it hundreds of miles over the sea and, beating rapidly, provide a power dive to catch a fish. At the last second before hitting the water the wings are pulled tightly against its body, its nostrils automatically close so no water enters,' and its strong, saw-toothed beak makes the catch. But it doesn't always need to, go under water since it can catch flying fish while they are in the air.
Colonies of thousands of these birds make nests only three or four feet apart on the bare ground, where three or four chicks are raised in each nest. These hatch out of the eggs naked, but in two or three weeks are covered with white feathers and their feet begin to show the blue color. Within three or four months they are fully developed and can feed themselves.
One thing that caused early sailors to call them boobies was their performance at nesting time. The male first picks out a nesting spot. Then he tries to attract a female by performing a peculiar hopping dance. He puts one blue foot ahead of the other and waves it at her, making loud whistles while pointing his beak skyward. If the female likes this performance she joins in, both stopping occasionally to bow, touch bills, point skyward and finally perform a stiff-legged walk together. After this the nest is completed and family life begins.
It is understandable how these activities seem humorous and even clumsy, especially when great numbers are engaged in them at the same time, but they are full of meaning to the blue-footed boobies and an important part of their courtship and the raising of little ones.
For thousands of years these birds, hidden away in these remote spots, were never seen by man. But the Creator has always cared for them, as the Bible verse says, "These wait all upon Thee.... [what] Thou givest them they gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are filled with good." Psa. 104:27,2827These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. 28That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. (Psalm 104:27‑28). The Lord God also provides for all mankind, and we should thank Him often for His care.