One might be forgiven for thinking that pterodactyls had been de-extincted upon first sighting the silhouette of a magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens).
Boasting wingspans of over 2 metres, the species cuts an imposing figure as it cruises above the coastal regions of North and South America looking for prey. While humans have nothing to fear, other seabirds would be well-advised to keep an eye peeled – frigatebirds are notorious thieves and won’t hesitate to steal their catch rather than doing the work themselves.
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What do magnificent frigatebirds look like?
Adult magnificent frigatebirds are a glossy jet black. Their wings are long and angular and their tails are forked, though the fork may sometimes be closed in flight.
The males are slicked with purple iridescence on their shoulders and possess a bright red gular pouch on their throats, which they inflate as part of their breeding displays. They have black or grey feet. Females have white breasts and shoulders and pink feet. Juveniles are brown with white heads and breasts.
Their long beaks are hooked at the tip to assist in gripping prey.
How large are magnificent frigatebirds?
Despite their apparent size in the air, magnificent frigatebirds only weigh 1-1.4kg at maturity.
What's the wingspan of a magnificent frigatebird?
The magnificent frigatebird has a wingspan of over two metres.
How long do magnificent frigatebirds live?
Magnificent frigatebirds live well into their thirties and some may reach 40 years old. They do not reach sexual maturity until they are 8–10 years old. Females breed at earlier ages than males.
How many species of frigatebird are there?
In addition to the magnificent frigatebird, there are four species of frigatebird. The lesser frigatebird (Fregata ariel) and great frigatebird (Fregata minor) are native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The Ascension frigatebird (Fregata aquila) is native only to the Atlantic island of Ascension. And the Christmas frigatebird (Fregata andrewsi) is only found on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.
What family do magnificent frigatebirds belong to?
Magnificent frigatebirds belong to the Fregatidae family.
What other species of birds are they related to?
Frigatebirds have been traditionally classified with the Pelecaniformes, a larger group of birds including pelicans. However, some taxonomists now place frigatebirds in the narrower Suliformes taxon with cormorants, boobies and gannets and anhingas.
What's the nickname of the magnificent frigatebird?
The magnificent frigatebird is also known as the pirate bird, the condor of the oceans and the 'Man-o'-War' bird.
Where do magnificent frigatebirds live?
Magnificent frigatebirds patrol the coastal regions of North and South America, ranging from California to Ecuador in the Pacific and Florida to Brazil in the Atlantic. Vagrants are occasionally recorded as far inland as the Midwest following severe storms.
What's unique about their flight patterns?
Magnificent frigatebirds are masters of the air – with the largest ratio of wing surface to body weight of any bird species, they are capable of gliding for up to 65 kilometres without flapping. They can climb to heights of more than 3,500 metres, summiting massive cumulonimbus clouds.
Can magnificent frigatebirds sleep while flying?
They can even sleep in the air – half of their brains will take 10-second naps, avoiding fatigue as they remain aloft for up to two months at a time.
How fast can magnificent frigatebirds fly?
Magnificent frigatebirds can fly at speeds of 153 km/h.
What do magnificent frigatebirds eat?
Magnificent frigatebirds eat mainly fish, squid and crustaceans. Though they scoop prey from the sea, they never land on the water – unlike other seabirds, their uropygial glands do not secrete sufficient oil to waterproof their feathers.
While they are adept predators, targeting animals driven to the surface by dolphins and large fish, they will not hesitate to scavenge, even following ships in search of scraps.
These “marine vultures,” as John James Audubon called them, will also pilfer fish from other seabirds. They will take the fish from their beaks or shake the other birds by the tail and devour the fish they vomit as it falls. They will eat the unattended young of boobies, petrels and terns too.
What are the mating habits of magnificent frigatebirds?
Large groups of males court females by inflating the vivid scarlet gular sacs on their necks like enormous balloons. They then throw their heads back and flap their wings while emitting drumming sounds and shrill squawks.
Once paired off for the season, the females build nests of sticks fetched by the male in low trees or on the ground. The female lays a single egg. The pair incubates it for around 50 days and when it hatches, take turns watching their offspring for the first three weeks. Frigatebirds may cannibalise the young of other pairs in the colony, so vigilance is paramount.
The male continues to offer help with feeding for around three months before leaving the female and nestling on their own. While the young fledges at around five months, the female continues to care for it for another seven months – the longest parental care recorded in any bird species. Because of this extended period of responsibility, females only breed once every two years.
What are baby magnificent frigatebirds called?
Baby magnificent frigatebirds are called chicks.
Do magnificent frigatebirds face any threats?
The IUCN lists the magnificent frigatebird as a species of least concern. Nonetheless, commercial fishing likely affects the species both by targeting its prey directly and harming the larger species that drive prey to the surface where the birds can capture it.
An isolated population once found in Cabo Verde in Africa has been extirpated, probably due to a combination of human exploitation and inbreeding depression resulting from the shrinking size of the population.
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Main image: a male magnificent frigatebird with an inflated gular sac. Credit: Getty