Promising signs of a growing breeding population of Red-footed Booby on Alphonse

​The Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) is a seabird that was once common on many islands of Seychelles. Like many species, it was wiped out following the arrival of humans, who hunted them for food. With Booby translating to ‘foolish’, its Creole name, ‘fou bet’, refers to how easy it was to catch these duck-sized birds. Today, several colonies still exist across various islands in Seychelles, with the primary breeding colony established on Farquhar Atoll.
 
In the Alphonse Group of Islands, Red-footed Boobies frequently visit St François Atoll, which spans approximately 5,400 hectares and includes both lagoon and reef flats. The Island Conservation Society (ICS) has been monitoring this species on Alphonse since 2007, and its population has consistently grown over that period.
Although Red-footed Boobies have been roosting on St Francois in the tens of thousands for many years, the first breeding attempt of this species within the Alphonse Group was recorded in 2019 on St François. By 2023, this number had grown to 15 pairs. This season, the conservation team has recorded an astounding 213 nests. With regular fledgling and failures, it is difficult to determine the exact breeding population, but this gives a valuable insight into the minimum number of breeding pairs.
 
Following the increase of nesting pairs, the team on Alphonse conducted a census of roosting individuals in September. Although a good number are present during the day, a majority return to the island in the late evening. Therefore, the team camped overnight on St François, conducting bird counts between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. at 63 plots across the island. All birds within each plot were counted, and numbers were then calculated across suitable habitat, resulting in an estimated total of 82,794 roosting individuals. With sea conditions causing a delay in the timing of the census, it did not coincide with the peak roosting season, which data suggests to be July/August.  This is thought to be the reason numbers were significantly lower compared to the last census conducted in July 2016, where over 250,000 roosting birds were estimated. The team plans to test this theory in the coming season if conditions allow.
 
Although the Red-footed Booby is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, several initiatives have been launched to monitor its movements. Research has explored its foraging behavior to guide marine protected area planning and conservation strategies across different sub-colonies in Seychelles. For ICS on Alphonse, monitoring the Red-footed Booby is essential for assessing population health, tracking trends, and evaluating the condition of marine ecosystems. These efforts also help protect the island, ensuring it remains a haven for these birds. By fostering awareness and appreciation for Seychelles’ biodiversity, this information will contribute significantly to the protection of the species, with the hope that St François will one day become another key breeding ground for the red-footed boobies.

An Adult Red-footed Booby and its chick on St Francois Atoll.

Data showing Number of Red-footed Boobyt nesting on St Francois Atoll since 2019.