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Lifespan, longevity, and ageing

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Maximum longevity: 34 years Observations: While sexual maturity may be attained earlier, animals are usually 5 years old when they first breed (John Terres 1980).
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Behavior

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Magnificent frigatebirds are usually silent, but they do vocalize when approaching a colony, when begging for food (hatchlings), and during mating displays. Little is known about communication among frigatebirds.

Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic

Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Martha Calcutt, University of Notre Dame
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Karen Francl, Radford University
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Tanya Dewey, Animal Diversity Web
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Conservation Status

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There are an estimated 50,000 to 71,000 breeding pairs of magnificent frigatebirds. Their numbers are apparently declining, due to human disturbances to nesting areas. There is a need for more research and protection plans in order to ensure that magnificent frigatebird populations remain stable. Regulations have been proposed to the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, but there is no current legal protection for this species.

US Migratory Bird Act: protected

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Martha Calcutt, University of Notre Dame
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Benefits

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There are no known negative impacts of magnificent frigatebirds on humans.

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Martha Calcutt, University of Notre Dame
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Benefits

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Magnificent frigatebirds are beautiful and may attract ecotourism. They are also important members of the healthy ecosystems they inhabit.

Positive Impacts: ecotourism

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Martha Calcutt, University of Notre Dame
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Associations

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Magnificent frigatebird feeding habits affect their fish prey, especially flying fish (Exocoetidae), as well as some squid and crustaceans. Other birds like pelicans, gulls, gannets, terns, and boobies are affected by magnificent frigatebird kleptoparasitism. Magnificent frigatebirds are often found near groups of dolphins, tuna, or other predatory fish that drive much of their prey to the surface of the water. This makes magnificent frigatebirds more successful when using a dipping hunting technique.

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Martha Calcutt, University of Notre Dame
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Trophic Strategy

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Magnificent frigatebirds eat mainly fish, as well as squid, jellyfish, and crustaceans. However, their diet can greatly vary due to food availability and preferred hunting technique. The three main hunting techniques are dipping, kleptoparasitism, and opportunistic feeding. When dipping, these birds gracefully glide just above the surface of the water and skim the surface with their beak to catch fish. However, they are only able to dip about 15 cm deep to avoid getting their feathers wet. Kleptoparasitism, the stealing of another animal’s food, is how this species gets one of their nicknames, "Man-'o-War". They chase other birds, particularly gulls, gannets, terns, and boobies. This chase continues until the victim is forced to disgorge their food. Magnificent frigatebirds then catch the disgorged food in mid air. They may also catch the other bird by the tail feathers and shake it until they release their food. Opportunistic feeding involves eating garbage, young turtles at hatching, and otherwise taking advantage of all available food sources. Magnificent frigatebirds eat fish scraps discarded by boats, offal (discarded parts of animals unfit for consumption) from slaughterhouses, and other garbage. Occasionally they steal food from the hands of humans. Females consume more than males because of their larger size and greater contribution to the feeding of hatchlings.

Animal Foods: fish; mollusks; aquatic crustaceans; cnidarians

Primary Diet: carnivore (Piscivore )

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Distribution

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Magnificent frigatebirds live along American, tropical coastlines. They breed as far north as 25 degrees north latitude in Mexico and Florida and as far south 27 degrees south latitude in Brazil. They are especially common in southern Florida, the Gulf Coast, the Caribbean islands and the west coast of Mexico.

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Habitat

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Magnificent frigatebirds usually build their nests out of twigs on or around low-lying vegetation. Males gather twigs and other nest building materials while females remain at the males' display site and build the nest there. Nests are primarily constructed at ground level, but sometimes in trees as well. Nests are flat or slightly hollow with a diameter of 25 - 35 cm. They are usually fully exposed to the sun for the birds' sunning habits. A colony of magnificent frigatebirds can occupy about 500 m of shoreline with a total area of about 22,500 m squared. A colony with about 2500 pairs of birds in Barbuda, a small island in the Caribbean, is the largest known colony.

Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial ; saltwater or marine

Aquatic Biomes: coastal

Other Habitat Features: estuarine

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Martha Calcutt, University of Notre Dame
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Life Expectancy

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While there is little data on magnificent frigatebird lifespan, it is estimated at 30 years. Besides natural death, mortality is occasionally caused by destructive hurricanes and man-made interferences in colonies.

Average lifespan
Status: wild:
174 months.

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Morphology

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Male magnificent frigatebirds are entirely black except for brown inner secondaries on the upper wing and the presence of a red inflatable throat pouch called a gular sac. They also have faint purple gloss on the head and green on the neck, scapulars, and upper wing. Their legs and feet appear back or grayish. Females are also entirely black with a white chest and white and tan markings on the wings. Their legs and feet are flesh-colored or pink, and they lack a gular sac. Females are, in general, 15% larger than males. Immature magnificent frigatebirds have a white head and chest while the rest of the body is black. Their legs, feet, and bill are light-bluish gray.

Their large heads, long, pointed, narrow wings, and forked tails make them easy to distinguish even from a distance. They are most often seen soaring along coastlines at higher altitudes and their silhouette is readily recognizable. They are also recognizable by their large size and long, hooked bill. They have short legs and small feet not well-suited to walking or swimming.

Range mass: 1360 to 1815 g.

Range length: 100 to 230 cm.

Range wingspan: 90 to 230 cm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: female larger; sexes colored or patterned differently; male more colorful; ornamentation

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Associations

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There are no known birds that prey on magnificent frigatebirds. Mammals may sometimes take eggs and nestlings. However, magnificent frigatebirds closely monitor their eggs and hatchlings until they are fairly able to defend themselves and breeding occurs in colonies, where many eyes can keep watch for predators.

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Reproduction

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During the breeding season, male magnificent frigatebirds congregate at male display sites. They inflate their large, red, gular sacs. These sacs, while inflated, can get so large that they obscure the bird's head. Males rapidly vibrate their wings and sit back on their tails. They stretch their wings out and throw their heads back for maximum display of the gular sac. Females then inspect the males. As females attempt to find a preferred mate, males twist and bend to make their gular sac look as large a possible, they also make a loud, drumming noise during this display. Magnificent frigatebirds form monogamous pairs each breeding season once females have selected mates. However, they rarely maintain the same partner from season to season.

Mating System: monogamous

Female magnificent frigatebirds lay a single egg three to four weeks after the beginning of breeding season. The incubation period for this species is not recorded, but has been estimated at 50 days. Because female parent involvement continues for much longer than male parental involvement, females only mate every other year. Males rarely care for their young longer than six months and breed annually. Juveniles near mature mass before fledging. Age of sexual maturity is not known but none breed until plumage is in mature phase.

Breeding interval: Female magnificent frigatebirds breed biannually, males attempt to breed annually.

Breeding season: Magnificent frigatebirds lay their eggs between mid-December and early April.

Range eggs per season: 1 (high) .

Average eggs per season: 1.

Average time to hatching: 50 days.

Range fledging age: 120 to 200 days.

Range time to independence: 21 to 24 months.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous

Average time to hatching: 50 days.

Average eggs per season: 1.

A magnificent frigatebird's egg is almost never exposed, being nearly continuously monitored by a parent. Hatchlings are altrical and are usually protected beneath a brooding parent. After about three weeks they are left alone in the nest for approximately half of daylight hours as parent birds search for food. Both parents contribute to provisioning hatchlings, but males contribute less than 40% of feeding. Around the sixth week the hatchling is substantially developed and can defend itself. At about the eleventh week, the male parent abandons the nest, leaving remaining parenting to the female. Females then compensate by nearly doubling the food provided for the hatchling. Females continue to feed hatchlings until they fledge and leave the nest. Often involvement continues after fledging, up to approximately four months.

Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Male, Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female)

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Calcutt, M. 2006. "Fregata magnificens" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed April 27, 2013 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Fregata_magnificens.html
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Associations

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In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Animal / parasite / ectoparasite
imago of Olfersia spinifera ectoparasitises Fregata magnificens

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Magnificent frigatebird

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The magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae. With a length of 89–114 centimetres (2 ft 11 in – 3 ft 9 in) and wingspan of 2.17–2.44 m (7 ft 1 in – 8 ft 0 in) it is the largest species of frigatebird. It occurs over tropical and subtropical waters off America, between northern Mexico and Perú on the Pacific coast and between Florida and southern Brazil along the Atlantic coast.[1] There are also populations on the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific and the Cape Verde islands in the Atlantic.

The magnificent frigatebird is a large, lightly built seabird with brownish-black plumage, long narrow wings and a deeply forked tail. The male has a striking red gular sac which he inflates to attract a mate. The female is slightly larger than the male and has a white breast and belly. Frigatebirds feed on fish taken in flight from the ocean's surface (often flying fish), and sometimes indulge in kleptoparasitism, harassing other birds to force them to regurgitate their food.

Taxonomy

The magnificent frigatebird was originally considered to belong to the species Fregata aquila but in 1914 the Australian ornithologist Gregory Mathews proposed that the magnificent frigatebird should be considered as a separate species with the binomial name Fregata magnificens.[2] Of the four other species within the genus Fregata, genetic analysis has shown that the magnificent frigatebird is most closely related to the Ascension frigatebird (Fregata aquila).[3]

There are two subspecies:

Prior to 2022, both these subspecies were considered synonymous with one another and grouped under F. m. magnificens. However, they were split by the International Ornithological Congress in 2022 based on a 2011 study which examined genetic and morphological variation in magnificent frigatebirds, finding both expected and also highly unexpected results. As predicted by the flight capacity of the species, the authors found signatures of high gene flow across most of the distribution range. This included evidence of recent gene flow among Pacific and Atlantic localities, likely across the Isthmus of Panama. This geological formation is a strong barrier to movement in most tropical seabirds. However, the same study also found that the magnificent frigatebird on the Galápagos Islands is genetically and morphologically distinct. Based on this study, the Galápagos population has not been exchanging any genes with their mainland counterparts for several hundred thousand years.[4]

History and etymology

Christopher Columbus encountered magnificent frigatebirds when passing the Cape Verde Islands on his first voyage across the Atlantic in 1492. His journal for the voyage survives in a version made in the 1530s by Bartolomé de las Casas.[5] The entry for 29 September reads in English:

They saw a bird that is called a frigatebird, which makes the boobies throw up what they eat in order to eat it herself, and she does not sustain herself on anything else. It is a seabird, but does not alight on the sea nor depart from land 20 leagues [97 km; 60 mi]. There are many of these on the islands of Cape Verde.[6]

In the 15th century text the name of the bird is written as rabiforçado. The modern Spanish word for a frigatebird is rabihorcado or "forked tail".[5][6] A population of magnificent frigatebirds once bred on the Cape Verde Islands but is now probably extinct.[7]

The word frigatebird derives from the French mariners' name for the bird La Frégate - a frigate or fast warship.[8] The etymology of the name was given by French naturalist Jean-Baptiste du Tertre when describing the magnificent frigatebird in 1667.[9][a] English mariners referred to frigatebirds as Man-of-War birds. This name was used by the English explorer William Dampier in his book An Account of a New Voyage Around the World published in 1697:[10]

The Man-of-War (as it is called by the English) is about the bigness of a Kite, and in shape like it, but black; and the neck is red. It lives on Fish yet never lights on the water, but soars aloft like a Kite, and when it sees its prey, it flys down head foremost to the Waters edge, very swiftly takes its prey out of the Sea with his Bill, and immediately mounts again as swiftly; never touching the Water with his Bill. His Wings are very long; his feet are like other Land-fowl, and he builds on Trees, where he finds any; but where they are wanting on the ground.[10]

Female fishing off Copacabana beach, Brazil

The modern name Frigate Bird was used in 1738 by the English naturalist and illustrator Eleazar Albin in his A Natural History of the Birds. The book included an illustration of the male bird showing the red gular pouch.[11] Like the genus name, the English term is derived from the French mariners' name for the bird la frégate—a frigate or fast warship.[12]

The genus name, Fregata has the same source as the English term, and magnificens is Latin for "splendidly", from magnificus, "grand".[8]

Distribution

The magnificent frigatebird is widespread in the tropical Atlantic, breeding colonially in trees in Florida, the Caribbean and also along the Pacific coast of the Americas from Mexico to Ecuador, including the Galápagos Islands.

It has occurred as a vagrant as far from its normal range as the Isle of Man, Denmark, Spain, England, Nova Scotia, the Magdalen Islands, and British Columbia.

Description

Female juvenile

The magnificent frigatebird is the largest species of frigatebird. It measures 89–114 cm (2 ft 11 in – 3 ft 9 in) in length, has a wingspan of 2.17–2.44 m (7 ft 1 in – 8 ft 0 in) and weighs 1.1–1.59 kilograms (2 lb 7 oz – 3 lb 8 oz).[13] Males are all-black with a scarlet throat pouch that is inflated like a balloon in the breeding season. Although the feathers are black, the scapular feathers produce a purple iridescence when they reflect sunlight, in contrast to the male great frigatebird's green sheen. Females are black but have a white breast and lower neck sides, a brown band on the wings, and a blue eye-ring that is diagnostic of the female of the species. Immature birds have a white head and underparts.

This species is very similar to the other frigatebirds and is similarly sized to all but the lesser frigatebird. However, it lacks a white axillary spur, and juveniles show a distinctive diamond-shaped belly patch. The magnificent frigatebird is silent in flight, but makes various rattling sounds at its nest.

It spends days and nights on the wing, with an average flapping rate of 2.84 beat per second,[14] ground speed of 10 km/h (6.2 mph), covering up to 223 km (139 mi) before landing. They alternately climb in thermals, to altitudes occasionally as high as 2,500 m (8,200 ft), and descend to near the sea surface. The only other bird known to spend days and nights on the wing is the common swift.[15]

Behaviour

Breeding

This bird makes a shallow platform nest on top of both trees and bushes on islands and cays with mangroves. This nest is constructed out of branches and twigs.[16]

The magnificent frigatebird lays a clutch of one clear white egg that measures 68 by 47 millimetres (2+34 by 1+34 in) on average. This egg is incubated by both sexes for a period of 50 to 60 days. After the egg hatches, the male parent will abandon it, with the female staying to provision for the young for almost a year.[16]

Feeding

This species feeds mainly on fish, squid, jellyfish and crustaceans. Individual bird diets vary depending on food availability, preferred hunting technique,[17] gender, and age.[18]

It is a kleptoparasite, pecking at other seabirds to force them to disgorge their meals. After forcing the other seabird to regurgitate its meal, the magnificent frigatebird will dive and catch the prey before it hits the surface of the water.[16]

Status

The Galápagos population of the magnificent frigatebird may warrant a separate conservation status. This small population of genetically unique magnificent frigatebirds is vulnerable. Any catastrophic event or threats by humans could wipe out the population of approximate two-thousand magnificent frigatebirds that nest on the Galápagos Islands. Magnificent frigatebirds are currently classified as of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, but because of the genetic uniqueness of those on the Galápagos Islands this may need to be revisited.[4]

This population on Cape Verde is thought to be extremely low and on the brink of extinction, despite the original sighting of this species by Columbus likely being that of the Cape Verde population. Protection of the frigatebird's breeding sites is necessary for the species' recovery.[19]

Notes

  1. ^ Du Tertre wrote: "Loyseau que les habitans des Indes appellent Fregate (à cause de la vistesse de son vol) n'a pas le corp plus gros qu'une poule ...".[9]

References

  1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2020). "Fregata magnificens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T22697724A168982712. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22697724A168982712.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Mathews, GM (1914). "On the species and subspecies of the genus Fregata". Australian Avian Record. 2 (6): 120 (117–121).
  3. ^ Kennedy, Martyn; Spencer, Hamish G (2004). "Phylogenies of the frigatebirds (Fregatidae) and tropicbirds (Phaethonidae), two divergent groups of the traditional order Pelecaniformes, inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 31 (1): 31–38. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2003.07.007. PMID 15019606.
  4. ^ a b Hailer, Frank; Schreiber, EA; Miller, Joshua M; Levin, Iris I; Parker, Patricia G; Fleischer, Robert C (2011). "Long-term isolation of a highly mobile seabird on the Galapagos". Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 278 (707): 817–825. doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.1342. PMC 3049043. PMID 20861041.
  5. ^ a b Hartog, JC den (1993). "An early note on the occurrence of the Magnificent Frigate Bird, Fregata magnificens Mathews, 1914, in the Cape Verde Islands: Columbus as an ornithologist". Zoologische Mededelingen. 67: 361–364.
  6. ^ a b Dunn, Oliver; Kelley, James E Jr (1989). The Diario of Christopher Columbus's First Voyage to America, 1492-1493. Norman, Okla USA: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 45. ISBN 0-8061-2384-2.
  7. ^ Suárez, Pedro López; Hazevoet, Cornelis J; Palma, Luís (2013). "Has the magnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens in the Cape Verde Islands reached the end of the road?" (PDF). Zoologia Caboverdiana. 3 (2): 82–86.
  8. ^ a b Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. pp. 164, 237. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  9. ^ a b Jean-Baptiste, du Tertre (1667). Histoire générale des Antilles habitées par les François (in French). Vol. 2. Paris: Thomas Joly. p. 269, Plate p. 246.
  10. ^ a b Dampier, James (1699) [1697]. An Account of a New Voyage Around the World. London: James Knapton. p. 49.
  11. ^ Albin, Eleazar (1738). A Natural History of the Birds. Vol. 3. p. 75 and plate 80 on previous page.
  12. ^ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London, United Kingdom: Christopher Helm. p. 164. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.
  13. ^ Orta, J; Garcia, EFJ; Kirwan, GM; Boesman, P. "Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)". In del Hoyo, J; Elliott, A; Sargatal, J; Christie, DA; de Juana, E (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 30 November 2014.(subscription required)
  14. ^ Schnell, Gary D. (1974-07-01). "Flight Speeds and Wingbeat Frequencies of the Magnificent Frigatebird". The Auk. 91 (3): 564–570. doi:10.2307/4084475. ISSN 1938-4254. JSTOR 4084475.
  15. ^ Weimerskirch, Henri; Chastel, Olivier; Barbraud, Christophe; Tostain, Olivier (2003). "Frigatebirds ride high on thermals" (PDF). Nature. 421 (6921): 333–334. doi:10.1038/421333a. PMID 12540890. S2CID 4357404.
  16. ^ a b c Hauber, Mark E. (1 August 2014). The Book of Eggs: A Life-Size Guide to the Eggs of Six Hundred of the World's Bird Species. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-226-05781-1.
  17. ^ "Fregata magnificens (magnificent frigatebird)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  18. ^ Diamond, A. W. (1973-04-01). "Notes on the Breeding Biology and Behavior of the Magnificent Frigatebird". The Condor. 75 (2): 200–209. doi:10.2307/1365868. ISSN 1938-5129. JSTOR 1365868.
  19. ^ López Suárez, Pedro. Has the magnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens in the Cape Verde Islands reached the end of the road?. OCLC 1185788288.
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Magnificent frigatebird: Brief Summary

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The magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae. With a length of 89–114 centimetres (2 ft 11 in – 3 ft 9 in) and wingspan of 2.17–2.44 m (7 ft 1 in – 8 ft 0 in) it is the largest species of frigatebird. It occurs over tropical and subtropical waters off America, between northern Mexico and Perú 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 in the Atlantic.

The magnificent frigatebird is a large, lightly built seabird with brownish-black plumage, long narrow wings and a deeply forked tail. The male has a striking red gular sac which he inflates to attract a mate. The female is slightly larger than the male and has a white breast and belly. Frigatebirds feed on fish taken in flight from the ocean's surface (often flying fish), and sometimes indulge in kleptoparasitism, harassing other birds to force them to regurgitate their food.

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