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The breeding ecology and reproductive traits of brown booby (
Sula leucogaster etesiaca) were studied in Gorgona Natural National Park, Colombia. Adult morphometrics, egg dimensions, chick growth and nesting site characteristics, were examined at 3 locations in the park. As with other subspecies, brown boobies in Gorgona exhibit reversed sexual dimorphism. The female booby reaches about 80 cm in length, its wingspan measures up to 150 cm, and they can weigh up to 1,300 g. The male booby reaches about 75 cm in length, its wingspan measures up to 140 cm, and they can weigh up to 1,000 g. First-laid eggs were heavier and bigger than second- or third-laid eggs. Growth of brown booby chicks fit a natural log equation: body mass (g) = 0.8773 ln * days + 3.3895. A variety of nesting aggregations was found, and their relationship with the other marine birds nesting in the area is discussed.