One of the most adept aviators of the avian world, embodying the very essence of grace and efficiency in flight. These birds are a marvel of evolutionary adaptation, possessing the lowest wing loading (a measurement that considers the bird’s body mass relative to its wing area) of any bird. This allows them to remain airborne for weeks, only landing on remote tropical islands to breed and roost.
Great frigatebirds have a distinctive appearance, with long, slender wings spanning up to 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) and deeply forked tails that enable sharp, precise maneuvers. Their striking silhouette is easily recognizable against the open sky. These birds are built not for swimming but for soaring. Their feathers are not waterproof, and they avoid the sea surface to prevent their wings from getting wet, which could hinder their flight.
Instead of diving for food, great frigatebirds have mastered the art of kleptoparasitism – they harass other seabirds, such as boobies and tropicbirds, in mid-air until they regurgitate their catch, which the frigatebirds then snatch up. Their diet mainly consists of fish and squid, which they capture from the ocean’s surface or through theft.
The behavior of following pods of tuna and dolphins is strategic, as these marine predators drive schools of fish to the surface, making it easier for frigatebirds to access their food. This inter-species dynamic is a fascinating example of how different animals can inadvertently assist each other in the wild.
Breeding colonies of great frigatebirds are spectacular and typically found on isolated islands. The males display their gular pouch – a striking red, balloon-like sac on their throats – which they inflate like a balloon to attract females. These displays, accompanied by clattering bills and waving heads, are a dramatic and noisy spectacle.
Distribution
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784170/WordPress Content/American-Samoa/American-Samoa.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784183/WordPress Content/Aruba/Aruba.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683164420/WordPress Content/Australia/Australia.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683158830/WordPress Content/Brazil/Brazil.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784217/WordPress Content/British-Indian-Ocean-Territory/British-Indian-Ocean-Territory.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683212480/WordPress Content/Brunei/Brunei.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683116529/WordPress Content/Cambodia/Cambodia.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683251056/WordPress Content/Chile/Chile.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683116521/WordPress Content/China/China.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784154/WordPress Content/Christmas-Island/Christmas-Island.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683781834/WordPress Content/Cocos-Islands/Cocos-Islands.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683158848/WordPress Content/Colombia/Colombia.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683781829/WordPress Content/Comoros/Comoros.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784163/WordPress Content/Cook-Islands/Cook-Islands.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683166106/WordPress Content/Costa-Rica/Costa-Rica.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683782119/WordPress Content/East-Timor/East-Timor.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683158845/WordPress Content/Ecuador/Ecuador.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683663704/WordPress Content/El-Salvador/El-Salvador.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784168/WordPress Content/Fiji/Fiji.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784156/WordPress Content/French-Polynesia/French-Polynesia.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683570891/WordPress Content/French-Southern-and-Antartic-Lands/French-Southern-and-Antartic-Lands.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784179/WordPress Content/Guam/Guam.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683257799/WordPress Content/Guatemala/Guatemala.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683116437/WordPress Content/India/India.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683116565/WordPress Content/Indonesia/Indonesia.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683178361/WordPress Content/Japan/Japan.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683117599/WordPress Content/Kenya/Kenya.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784160/WordPress Content/Kiribati/Kiribati.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683379862/WordPress Content/Madagascar/Madagascar.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683116561/WordPress Content/Malaysia/Malaysia.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683781837/WordPress Content/Maldives/Maldives.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784143/WordPress Content/Marshall-Islands/Marshall-Islands.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683781716/WordPress Content/Mauritius/Mauritius.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683174410/WordPress Content/France/France.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683174363/WordPress Content/Mexico/Mexico.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784149/WordPress Content/Micronesia-Federated-States/Micronesia-Federated-States.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683117602/WordPress Content/Mozambique/Mozambique.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784244/WordPress Content/Nauru/Nauru.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784181/WordPress Content/New-Caledonia-FR/New-Caledonia-FR.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683570866/WordPress Content/New-Zealand/New-Zealand.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683166103/WordPress Content/Nicaragua/Nicaragua.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784152/WordPress Content/Niue/Niue.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784177/WordPress Content/Northern-Mariana-Islands/Northern-Mariana-Islands.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683851052/WordPress Content/Oman_2680eb456/Oman_2680eb456.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683782116/WordPress Content/Palau/Palau.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683166101/WordPress Content/Panama/Panama.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683164423/WordPress Content/Papua-New-Guinea/Papua-New-Guinea.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683121363/WordPress Content/Philippines/Philippines.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784246/WordPress Content/Pitcairn-Islands/Pitcairn-Islands.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683174410/WordPress Content/France/France.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683570887/WordPress Content/Saint-Helena/Saint-Helena.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784249/WordPress Content/Samoa/Samoa.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683781839/WordPress Content/Seychelles/Seychelles.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784174/WordPress Content/Solomon-Islands/Solomon-Islands.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683117738/WordPress Content/Somalia/Somalia.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683117607/WordPress Content/South-Africa/South-Africa.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683173383/WordPress Content/Sri-Lanka/Sri-Lanka.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683571232/WordPress Content/Taiwan/Taiwan.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683116213/WordPress Content/Tanzania/Tanzania.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683116446/WordPress Content/Thailand/Thailand.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784147/WordPress Content/Tokelau/Tokelau.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784172/WordPress Content/Tonga/Tonga.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784166/WordPress Content/Tuvalu/Tuvalu.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784509/WordPress Content/United-States-Minor-Outlying-Islands/United-States-Minor-Outlying-Islands.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683174369/WordPress Content/United-States/United-States.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784158/WordPress Content/Vanuatu/Vanuatu.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683116551/WordPress Content/Vietnam/Vietnam.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683784242/WordPress Content/Wallis-and-Futuna-FR/Wallis-and-Futuna-FR.jpg?_i=AA)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/dr0zfbman/images/w_150,h_87,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto:good/v1683117741/WordPress Content/Zimbabwe/Zimbabwe.jpg?_i=AA)
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd / Colony
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No