MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD More Life
Video: Watch tropicbirds vs. frigatebirds.
Interact: Explore the anatomy of a tropicbird. HowStuffWorks: Does a pelican's bill hold more than its belly can? Named after the sleek and speedy frigates, or ships, favored by the pirates of old, the magnificent frigatebird is nothing short of an aerial buccaneer. Although the species is perfectly capable of scooping up fish and squid on its own, it generally prefers to snatch its meals from the beaks of other avian predators.
PIRATES OF THE AIR
The magnificent frigatebird simply isn't cut out for life in the water or on the land. Its legs are too short, and its feathers readily absorb water. Still, the bird possesses other gifts, such as a 90-inch (or roughly 2-meter) wingspan, which it uses to enage in high-speed dogfights with other seabirds. It matches its adversary's every turn, giving relentless chase until it can finally catch the other bird and force it to relinquish its catch. The frigatebird's hooked bill then comes in handy for plucking the stolen morsel from the air before it hits the water.
Magnificent frigatebirds don't migrate but rather stick to their tropical habitats year-round. During this time, when they're not marauding, they engage in elaborate courtships and prolonged breeding cycles.
DANCING WITH FRIGATEBIRDS
The males attract their mates by perching on small plants, fluttering their wings and bending back their necks to inflate a bright red throat sac. The males then drum this inflated sac with their own bills to create a signature clattering sound. If the female frigatebird takes to this mating display, she'll land next to the male, and the two will partake in various head-shaking, bill-sparring and neck-crossing ceremonies.
Once bonded, the pair remain monogamous. The male gathers sticks, which the female uses to construct a nest for the single egg she will lay. The couple incubates the egg for some eight months. After the chick hatches, the male remains an additional month before leaving. The mother cares for her chick for another 13 months, providing it with stolen meals.
Written by Robert Lamb, HowStuffWorks
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