Home > Frigatebird

There are five species in the order Fregatatidae, the frigatebirds. They are very closely related, and are all in the single genus Fregata.

All are large, black or black and white, with long wings and deeply-forked tails. The males have inflatable coloured throat pouches.

Frigatebirds are found over tropical oceans.

These birds do not swim or walk, and cannot take off from a flat surface. They are essentially aerial, landing only to roost or breed on trees or cliffs. They lay one or two white eggs.

Their feeding habits are pelagic. Frigatebirds often rob other seabirds of their catch, using their speed and manoeuvrability to outrun their victims. However, they are perfectly capable of catching fish, baby turtles and similar prey, snatching them up from flight.

Details of distribution and identification are dealt with in the species' accounts.

This group is related to other Pelecaniformes as below:

Order Pelecaniformes

• Family Pelecanidae - pelicans
• Family Sulidae - gannets and boobies
• Family Phalacrocoracidae - cormorants
• Family Fregatidae: frigatebirds
  • Genus Fregata
    • Magnificent FrigatebirdMagnificent Frigatebird : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Pelecaniformes : Fregatidae Fregata magnificens Binomial name ''Fregata magnificens Mathews, 1914 The Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens was sometimes previously known as Man O'War reflecting or Man O'War, Fregata magnificens.
    • Ascension FrigatebirdAscension Frigatebird : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Pelecaniformes : Fregatidae Fregata aquila Binomial name ''Fregata aquila Linnaeus, 1758) The Ascension Frigatebird Fregata aquila breeds only on the tiny Boatswainbird Island near Ascension Island in t, F. aquila.
    • Christmas Island FrigatebirdChristmas Island Frigatebird Fregata andrewsi is a frigatebird which breeds only on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. Like other frigatebirds, this species does not walk or swim, but is a very aerial bird which obtains its food by picking up live prey, F. andrewsi.
    • Great Frigatebird . F. minor.
    • Lesser Frigatebird . F. ariel.
• Family Anhingidae - AnhingaAnhinga : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Pelecaniformes : Anhingidae Anhinga anhinga Binomial name Anhinga anhinga ( Linnaeus, 1766) The Anhinga Anhinga anhinga , sometimes called Snakebird Darter or American Darter is a water bird of the warmer parts of No and darterDarters Australian Darter : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Pelecaniformes Anhingidae Anhinga Species Anhinga anhinga Anhinga melanogaster Anhinga rufa Anhinga novaehollandiae Darters are cormorant-like water birds with very long necks and long, straight beas
• Family Phaethontidae - tropicbirdTropicbirds Red-tailed Tropicbird : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Pelecaniformes Phaethontidae Phaethon P. aetherius ''P. lepturus ''P. rubricauda The three tropicbirds are closely related seabirds of tropical oceans. They are basically slender white birdss