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    Great frigatebird

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    These birds spend weeks in the air and hunt, preen and even sleep while in flight

    Charles J. Sharp








      Saved In:


    Great frigatebird

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE

    These birds spend weeks in the air and hunt, preen and even sleep while in flight

    Population 120,000

    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

    Country
    Population est.
    Status
    Year
    Comments
    American Samoa
    2019
    Aruba
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    Australia
    2019
    Brazil
    2019
    British Indian T.
    2019
    Brunei
    2019
    Cambodia
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Chile
    2019
    China
    2019
    Christmas Island
    2019
    Cocos Is. (Keeling)
    2019
    Breeding
    Colombia
    2019
    Comoros
    2019
    Cook Islands
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Costa Rica
    2019
    East Timor
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    Ecuador
    2019
    Breeding: Galápagos
    El Salvador
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Fiji
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    French Polynesia
    2019
    French Southern T.
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Guam
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    Guatemala
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    India
    2019
    Indonesia
    2019
    Japan
    2019
    Kenya
    2019
    Kiribati
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Madagascar
    2019
    Malaysia
    2019
    Maldives
    2019
    Marshall Islands
    2019
    Breeding
    Mauritius
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    Mayotte
    2019
    Mexico
    2019
    Micronesia
    2019
    Breeding
    Mozambique
    2019
    Nauru
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    New Caledonia
    2019
    New Zealand
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    Nicaragua
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Niue
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Nort. Mariana Is.
    2019
    Breeding
    Oman
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    Palau
    2019
    Breeding
    Panama
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    Papua New Guinea
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Philippines
    2019
    Pitcairn
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Réunion
    2019
    Breeding
    Saint Helena
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Samoa
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Seychelles
    2019
    Breeding
    Solomon Islands
    2019
    Somalia
    2019
    South Africa
    2019
    Sri Lanka
    2019
    Taiwan
    2019
    Tanzania
    2019
    Thailand
    2019
    Tokelau
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Tonga
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Tuvalu
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    US Minor Is.
    2019
    Non-Breeding
    United States
    10,000 pairs
    Official estimate
    LC
    2019
    Breeding: Hawaiian Is.
    Vanuatu
    2019
    Vietnam
    2019
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Wallis & Futuna
    2019
    Zimbabwe
    2019
    Non-Breeding

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    Get to know me

    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

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE
    Least Concern(IUCN)
    World Population 120,000
    Honorary Patron: BioDB
    Become a Patron

    Threats

    Habitat destruction / Climate change / Freshwater pollution / Marine pollution / Deforestation / Farming / Fishing practices / Poaching & wildlife trade / Invasive species / Parasites & diseases / Noise pollution / Light pollution

    My ID

    Scientific name: Fregata minor Number of subspecies: 5 Name of subspecies:

    F. m.aldabrensis
    F. m. minor
    F. m. nicolli
    F. m. palmerstoni
    F. m. ridgwayi

    Physical traits

    Length: 85 – 105 cm (33 – 41 in) Weight Male: 1,000 – 1,450 g (2.2 – 3.2 pounds) Weight Female: 1,215 – 1,590 g (2.7 – 3.6 pounds) Lifespan: 30 – 34 years Speed: 153 km/h (84 mph) Wingspan: 205 – 230 cm (81 – 91 in) Incubation: 55 days Eggs: 1 egg
    Habitats: Marine Forest Shrubland
    Regions: Africa Asia North America Oceania South America
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