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4

Great Frigatebird

(Fregata minor)
Alternate name(s): "Greater Frigate-bird", "Man-o'-war Bird*", "Man-o'-war Hawk*", "Seahawk*"
Size: 85-105 cm; wing span 2.05-2.3 m
Weight: 1.0-1.45 kg (male), 1.2-1.6 kg (female)

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Great Frigatebird at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "minor" or "palmerstoni"?

ADULT

MALE

Near-frontal view of a male Great Frigatebird; note the feathers on the side of the gular sac (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Near-frontal view of a male Great Frigatebird (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Lateral view of a male Great Frigatebird; note the feathers on the side of the gular sac (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

FEMALE

Near-lateral view of a female Great Frigatebird in flight (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Lateral view of a female Great Frigatebird in flight (photo courtesy of H. Mouritsen)
[One Tree Island, Capricornia Cays NP, QLD, January 2011]

Lateral view of a female Great Frigatebird in flight (photo courtesy of D. Williams)
[Newcastle Harbour, NSW, January 2015]

Ventral view of a female Great Frigatebird in flight (photo courtesy of D. Williams)
[Newcastle Harbour, NSW, January 2015]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of an immature female Great Frigatebird (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Near-frontal view of an immature female Great Frigatebird perched in a tree; the white breast characterises this bird as a female, while the bluish eye-ring indicates an immature bird (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, QLD, January 2006]

Lateral view of an immature female Great Frigatebird (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Lateral view of an immature female Great Frigatebird (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Female Great Frigatebird, centre, and two immature males, left and right, in flight (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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