Magnificent Frigatebird
A species of Frigatebirds, Also known as American Frigatebird Scientific name : Fregata magnificens Genus : Frigatebirds
Magnificent Frigatebird, A species of Frigatebirds
Also known as:
American Frigatebird
Botanical name: Fregata magnificens
Genus: Frigatebirds
Content
Description People often ask General Info
Photo By Veronidae , used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The magnificent frigatebird is the largest species of frigatebird. It measures 89–114 cm (35–45 in) in length, has a wingspan of 2.17–2.44 m (7.1–8.0 ft) and weighs 1.1–1.59 kilograms (2.4–3.5 lb). 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 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. 
Size
94-104 cm (37-41 in)
Colors
Black
Green
Red
White
Life Expectancy
34 years
Nest Placement
Shrub
Clutch Size
1 egg
Incubation Period
1 brood
Number of Broods
53 - 61 days
Nestling Period
150 - 185 days
Feeding Habits
Magnificent Frigatebird's diet consists of fish (flying fish, tuna, herring), squid, jellyfish, and crustaceans. They feed by skimming water surfaces and stealing from other birds mid-air. Magnificent Frigatebird exhibits kleptoparasitism, harassing seabirds until they regurgitate meals, which magnificent Frigatebird intercepts before it reaches the water.
Habitat
Magnificent Frigatebird predominantly inhabits tropical and subtropical oceanic regions, favoring coastal areas and islands. These birds are commonly associated with maritime habitats, including mangrove cays situated amidst coral reefs, where they nest and roost. The preferred vegetation for roosting comprises predominantly low trees and shrubs. They thrive in a climate conducive to warm, open waters, venturing over expansive oceanic stretches, coastline vicinities, and into shallow lagoons to forage, but remain at low altitudes near sea level.
Nest Behavior
When magnificent Frigatebird builds its nest, the process takes around 13 days. The female arranges the sticks while the male may steal materials from others. Egg-laying and parental care involve both parents, with extended periods of offspring dependency.
Nest Characteristics
Magnificent Frigatebird constructs nests in dense colonies atop low trees and shrubs on islands. The nests, built by the female using sticks provided by the male, are flimsy platforms approximately 9-14 inches wide, often within reach of neighboring nests.
Dite type
Piscivorous
People often ask
General Info
Behavior
Magnificent Frigatebird display a majestic mastery of the air, spending most of their time effortlessly gliding over ocean waters. Their specially adapted long wings support minimal flapping, while their forked tail functions as an effective rudder. Uniquely, they engage in kleptoparasitism, pursuing other birds to snatch away their meals. Their agility diminishes near land, where they rest in an ungainly fashion on shrubs and trees, utilizing their robust toes for grip, as their terrestrial mobility is hampered. To alleviate heat, males audaciously inflate their scarlet throat pouches and along with females, thermoregulate by sunning with wings aloft. Courtship is a gregarious spectacle; males flaunt their engorged pouches and perform cacophonous displays to lure mates. Post-mating, the male departs the nest early, leaving the female to single-handedly rear their offspring.
Distribution Area
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.
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Gannets and Relatives Family
Frigatebirds Genus
Frigatebirds Species
Magnificent Frigatebird 
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