Magnificent Frigatebird

Fregata magnificens

Cannot land on water, cannot take off from flat ground. Steals fish mid-air from other birds instead.

Population: ~130,000 mature individuals (2016 estimate; population trend decreasing), plus ~2,000 breeding pairs in the Galápagos
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical coastal waters, coastlines, and shallow lagoons; breeds colonially in mangroves and low trees/shrubs on islands and cays
Fun fact: Males inflate a bright red throat pouch into a balloon-like display to attract mates, and the species can stay airborne for days at a time, riding thermals to altitudes over 2,500 m without landing.
Range: Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the Americas, from California/northern Mexico to Ecuador (including the Galápagos) on the Pacific side, and from Florida to southern Brazil on the Atlantic side; a former Cape Verde population off West Africa is now feared extinct
Diet: Primarily fish (including flying fish, tuna, herring) and squid, supplemented by jellyfish, crustaceans, and plankton; feeds by snatching prey from the water surface without landing, and frequently steals food from other seabirds (kleptoparasitism)
Size: 1 m
Wingspan: 2.3 m
Lifespan: 30 years

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