A large mainly black tropical seabird with long narrow wings, deeply forked tail and long hooked bill, and a white patch on each flank which reaches the underwing. It is common in tropical seas breeding on remote islands, including Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean in recent years. There are five species worldwide. Frontal view of a female Lesser Frigatebird, upper left, with another female partly obscured on the right, and a partly obscured male, lower left; for comparison, there is a Brown Booby in the lower left-hand corner (photo courtesy of M. Mearns) [Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016] Lesser frigatebird.
They are most often seen soaring stiff-winged high over the sea or coastline, occasionally descending to pursue other fish-eating birds. As their name suggests, they are aerial pirates, often robbing other seabirds of their food during spectacular aerial manoeuvres.Lesser frigatebirds are large, predominantly black birds with long narrow wings (175-195 cm wingspan), a deeply forked tail and a long hooked bill.
They rarely swim and cannot walk on land. Adult males are almost entirely black with a red throat and white spurs emanating outwards from the body onto the wing. Adults are easier to identify than younger birds. Seisia, Cape York, Queensland, July 2017. Adults are easier to identify than younger birds. Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel), version 1.0. All are black-and-white, with long angular wings, deeply forked tails, and long, hooked bills.
The Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel) is a species of frigatebird. The largest species is the magnificent frigatebird, which reaches 114 cm (45 in) in length, with three of the remaining four almost as large. Juvenile is brown overall, with mostly white underparts and a tawny head, neck, and chest. The Lesser Frigatebird is a large species of frigatebird that breeds on many small islands in the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, and on a few islands off the northeastern coast of Brazil. The key features to note on all frigate birds are the extent of any white markings on the underparts, particularly whether these extend onto the underwing or chin, and any orange on the head indicating immaturity. Mostly silent except while breeding in oceanic islands. Galbraith, M.P. There have been at least 40 records, with southerly records including Manawatu (1951), Waikanae (1983), Wellington (1937, 1966), Farewell Spit (1983), Catlins (1979), and Chatham Islands (1937 & 1985).Frigatebirds have a very light skeleton and long, narrow wings, making them adept and efficient fliers. The neck and breast of females are white, contrasting with the black chin and head, which gives them the appearance of having a black hood. Lesser frigatebird. Adult female.
It is a rare visitor to the Hawaiian Islands. The lesser frigatebird is substantially smaller, at around 71 cm (28 in) long. The male is mostly black, with a white patch on each flank which continues as a spur on to the underwing. The smallest of the frigatebirds, but note that the female is larger than the male.
Image © Tim Van Leeuwen 2017 birdlifephotography.org.au by Tim Van LeeuwenFrigatebirds are distinctive large tropical seabirds that occasionally reach New Zealand, usually associated with tropical weather systems.
Adult females have a white chin, and the white patch on their breast is divided into two lobes by a black V reaching forward from the belly. Lesser frigatebirds reach New Zealand more frequently than great frigatebirds. Juvenile and immature plumages are variable and are best separated from other frigatebirds by size when comparison is possible. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. Lesser frigatebirds are large, predominantly black birds with long narrow wings (175-195 cm wingspan), a deeply forked tail and a long hooked bill. Immature birds have pale orange heads, white bellies extending as a V towards the vent, and white extending onto the underwing as for adultsSimilar species: the very similar great frigatebird also has distinct male, female and immature plumages.