Magnificent Frigatebird
Fregata magnificens
Despite being seabirds, their feathers are not waterproof; if they land on the water, they risk becoming waterlogged and drowning.
- Scientific name
- Fregata magnificens
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Suliformes › Fregatidae › Fregata
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- aquatic
- Habitat
- Tropical and subtropical coastal waters, mangroves, and oceanic islands.
- Diet
- Fish, squid, and crustaceans; frequently engages in kleptoparasitism by stealing food from other seabirds.
- Range
- Galápagos Islands, Caribbean Sea, Baja California, Florida Coast, Cape Verde
- Size
- Length 89-114 cm, Wingspan 217-244 cm
- Lifespan
- 15 to 30 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Coastal development, plastic ingestion, and entanglement in discarded fishing gear.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to humans. Observe from a distance, especially during nesting. If you find one entangled in fishing line or grounded, do not attempt to throw it into the air; contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately as their bones are fragile.
The magnificent frigatebird ( Fregata magnificens ) is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae. With a length of 89–114 centimetres (35–45 in) and wingspan of 2.17–2.44 m (7.1–8.0 ft) it is the largest species of frigatebird. It occurs over tropical and subtropical waters off America, between northern Mexico and Ecuador on the Pacific coast and between Florida and southern Brazil along the Atlantic coast. There are also populations on the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific and the Cape Verde islands...
Photo: Megan Massa, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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