Fiji Birds: Frigatebirds

The great frigatebird, a magnificent avian marvel of the seas, boasts an impressive stature, reaching up to 105 cm in length, adorned with a predominantly black plumage. One of its most striking features is its sexual dimorphism, where the female dwarfs the male in size, sporting a white throat and breast. In contrast, the male dons scapular feathers with a captivating purple-green sheen. During the breeding season, the male showcases its prowess by distending a vibrant red gular sac.

This species exhibits a penchant for piscine pursuits, skillfully plucking fish from the ocean’s surface, particularly favoring flying fish, while engaging in kleptoparasitism less frequently compared to its counterparts. With their elongated, pointed wings and deeply forked tail, frigatebirds possess a remarkable ratio of wing area to body mass, allowing them to effortlessly glide on marine thermals, a phenomenon attributed to the subtle temperature disparities between tropical air and water.

In appearance, males flaunt a sleek black plumage accented by scapular feathers shimmering with a green iridescence, while females exhibit a striking contrast with a black body complemented by a white throat and breast, accentuated by a crimson eye ring. Juveniles mirror this elegance with a touch of rustic hues adorning their face, head, and throat, adding to the allure of these majestic creatures as they grace the skies with their distinctive crooked wing posture, soaring along the shoreline in pursuit of their next aquatic conquest.

Common Name: Great Frigatebird
Scientific Name: Fregata minor
Recorded Sightings: Viti Levu – Vanua Levu – Taveuni – Kadavu – Lomaiviti – Lau – Rotuma
Image Supplied: James J. Sharp. (2016).