Boobies' blue feet get brighter the longer it has been since they last had sex. Blue feet attract females.
In a study of the blue-footed booby, which is native to the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador, they found that when birds had a year off from reproducing, their feet became brighter in colour.
For female boobies, the more luminous the foot, the more desirable the male.
Generally, young male boobies have the brightest feet and they fade in colour over the bird’s lifespan, which can be more than 20 years. Scientists found that a period of abstinence can restore some of the youthful glow, making the birds more desirable in the following mating season.
Previous work has shown that foot colour is a strong predictor for reproductive success. Males with brighter feet have more offspring and are cuckolded less by their mates
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