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Thanks to Captain Dan for making the rescue of this Magnificent Frigatebird down in offshore waters this afternoon. We were able to meet the boat at Galleon Marina and transfer the bird into care. The Frigatebird is waterlogged but uninjured and is recovering in our clinic. We will return the patient to the wild as soon as possible!
This Magnificent Frigatebird was rescued down in offshore waters by boaters and brought to Hurricane Hole Marina. We were able to meet them there to transfer the Frigatebird into care. A small wound on the left side of the body has been treated to begin rehabilitation in our clinic. Thanks to everyone out there making a difference for wildlife in distress!
Magnificent Frigatebird
Magnificent Frigatebirds
They can’t swim and can barely walk on land so they hover for long periods of time looking for food.
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens), male displaying his gular pouch to impress females, family Fregatidae, order Suliformes, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
photograph by ojitos.2601
This is a Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens), I forget where I took this picture, but it was during a Caribbean cruise. It was either Roatan, Honduras or Costa Maya., Mexico. I could nail it down, but that would mean trying to make my brain work this morning.
"The frigatebird is sometimes called the "man-o-war bird" because it harasses other birds until they regurgitate recently captured food, which the frigatebird snatches in midair." - allaboutbirds.org
Even though they can soar for weeks at a time, frigatebirds have little time for rest. Jockeying for position in the pack above our boat was common with proximity to the boat (and it’s flight-aiding slipstream) being the big prize.
Frigatebirds are kleptoparasitic, meaning they will often steal foraged food from other birds. Their targets can vary by species and in the Galapagos at least we saw them harass boobys and tropicbirds.
(Magnificent frigatebird, male plumage (both))
Photo: Peter Swaine
"Massive seabird of warm tropical oceans and coastlines. Overall black with extremely long, deeply forked tail and angular wings. Male completely black with inflatable red pouch on throat (not seen away from breeding colonies) and bluish eyering. Adult female has white chest and golden bar on shoulder. Young birds have white head and breast. Often soars for long periods and flies with slow wingbeats. Steals food from other seabirds. Surprisingly acrobatic during aerial chases despite its large size."
- eBird
A male magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) shows off its gular sac midflight in St Petersberg, Florida, USA
by Dennis Adair
Magnificent Frigatebird (female) Fregata magnificens
St. John’s, Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda, 2014
A male magnificent frigatebird (easily identified by the bright red gular pouch) offers a stick in an attempt to woo a taken female (the bird with the black head and red ring around the eye). The female's mate is clearly annoyed!
The white and black bird with the tan chest that looks on is a juvenile of this species, potentially the pair's chick from a previous nesting!
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
