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4

Lesser Frigatebird

(Fregata ariel)
Alternate name(s): "Least Frigatebird", "Man-o'-war Hawk*", "Seahawk*"
Size: 65-80 cm; wing span 1.55-1.9 m
Weight: 625-875 g (male), 760-955 g (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 Lesser Frigatebird at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "ariel"

ADULT

MALE

Lesser Frigatebirds in various plumages: male (top; in-flight), female (centre, in-flight; lower right, perched) and juvenile with tawny-coloured head, in-flight (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Near-lateral view of a male Lesser Frigatebird in flight; note the red throat pouch ["gular sac"] (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, January 2016]

Lateral view of a male Lesser Frigatebird in flight; note the characteristic grey bill of the male (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, January 2016]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Lesser Frigatebird, upper left, with another female partly obscured on the right, and a partly obscured male, lower left; for comparison, there is a Brown Booby in the lower left-hand corner (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

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

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

Frontal view of a female Lesser Frigatebird in flight; note the characteristic red eye-ring (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2006]

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

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

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of an immature, probably third-year Lesser Frigatebird; note the whiteish head and the absence of a black neck band (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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