[AJDH]

A friend asked me if I could find out what bird the attached is. They were taken in the summer months at Kill Devil Hills, N.C.

[MLoyko]

Could it be a Blue-footed Booby? I'm not sure of the range but maybe.

-Matt

[fugl]

I think that's what it is, a Northern Gannet.
Edit: Actually, now that I've looked at photo #1 again, I'm not so sure. Maybe, one of the boobies instead (the bill/facial feathering interface looks wrong for gannet, though it's hard to see).

[AJDH]

That's interesting because when I first saw the pictures, I thought booby but then on checking the bill shape, I thought gannet.

[MLoyko]

Your bird looks pretty close to this one but without blue feet

http://www.photoseek.com/94GAL-10-34...ootedBooby.jpg

you can see blue in your birds face around the eye, that is what made me say blue-footed booby in the first place plus the dark wing area and the salt and pepper looking head.

[AJDH]

Originally Posted by MLoyko

Your bird looks pretty close to this one but without blue feet

http://www.photoseek.com/94GAL-10-34...ootedBooby.jpg

you can see blue in your birds face around the eye, that is what made me say blue-footed booby in the first place plus the dark wing area and the salt and pepper looking head.

That linked image does look similar, thanks.

[Natalie]

A Blue-Footed Booby should show completely solid dark brown wings and a longer, paler tail according to the Sibley guide. This bird looks like a Northern Gannet coming into second-year plumage.

Check out this photo: http://djringer.com/photos/d/628-6/s...ern-gannet.jpg

[AJDH]

Originally Posted by Natalie

A Blue-Footed Booby should show completely solid dark brown wings and a longer, paler tail according to the Sibley guide. This bird looks like a Northern Gannet coming into second-year plumage.

Check out this photo: http://djringer.com/photos/d/628-6/s...ern-gannet.jpg

Thanks Natalie, that image is very similar.