frigatebirds
Tropical soaring seabirds
Frigatebirds are large seabirds found in tropical and subtropical waters, distinguished by their long angular wings, deeply forked tails, and remarkable soaring ability.
Males have a bright red throat pouch they inflate dramatically during courtship displays.
Despite being ocean birds, frigatebirds cannot swim or walk well and rarely land on water; instead they snatch fish from the surface or harass other seabirds into dropping their catches, earning them a reputation as aerial pirates.
Of hot, humid regions
mangroves · rookery · colony · Galapagos · Caribbean · Pacific · Indian Ocean · Christmas Island
Seaborne theft or bootlegging
- soaringRising effortlessly upward
- glidingEngineless aerial movement
- thermalsWarm air columns
- courtship displayRitual to attract partners
harassment · chasing · mobbing · regurgitation · swooping · hovering
Requiring no strain
- soaringRising effortlessly upward
- glidingEngineless aerial movement
- updraftsAir moving skyward
- thermalsWarm air columns
maneuverability · acrobatic · endurance · long-distance · energy efficient · wing loading · aspect ratio
Tip-to-tip extent
- throat pouchExpandable neck membrane
- forked tailDivided posterior appendage
- pneumatic bonesAir-cavity skeletal structure
- keelHull's structural base
tropical
Of hot, humid regions
coastal · mangroves · rookery · colony · Galapagos · Caribbean · Pacific · Indian Ocean · Christmas Island · coral atolls
piracy
Seaborne theft or bootlegging
courtship display · harassment · chasing · mobbing · regurgitation · swooping · hovering
effortless
Requiring no strain
thermals · maneuverability · acrobatic · endurance · long-distance · energy efficient · wing loading · aspect ratio
wingspan
Tip-to-tip extent
- throat pouchExpandable neck membrane
- forked tailDivided posterior appendage
- pneumatic bonesAir-cavity skeletal structure
endemic
Native to one area
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- island wildlifemarine iguana, Darwin's finches, Galapagos tortoise, giant tortoise, giant tortoises
- seabirdspenguin, penguins, pelican, pelicans, seagull
- waterbirdsducks, auk, geese, bittern, swans
- Caribbean wildlifeshark, sharks, dolphin, whale, flamingo
- Galapagosgiant tortoises, marine iguanas, marine iguana, Galapagos tortoise, giant tortoise
- Sea of Cortezvaquita, California sea lion, whale shark, gray whale, blue whale