Blue-Footed Boobies are native to the Galapagos but also live on the western coast of the United States. Their population is declining due to the decline in sardines, their main food source. Without a belly full of sardines, the males' feet lose their bright blue color, and become less attractive to the female boobies. They are less likely to be accepting of the males' traditional mating dance, causing fewer baby boobies every year.
Several conservation groups are looking into the cause of a recent decline in the blue-footed booby population. They are currently working with partners to determine the risks of marine plastic pollution to seabirds, including blue-footed boobies, as part of the Plastic Pollution Free Galapagos program.
