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One of the largest of the frigatebirds; females are larger than males.
Endangered
Endemic to Australia
At a glance
FamilyFrigatebirds
SizeSmall
RarityRare
HabitatClosed forest, Grassland, Herbaceous Graminoids Open Tussock Grasses, Open woodland, and Waterbodies
Best timeMost reliable in Northern Territory from January to February.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Frank Lambert
Range map
Range map
1visible hotspots
5visible records
1states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Adult males are all black with a white oval belly patch and white spurs emanating outwards from the body onto the wing. Adult females have a black throat with a white hind collar, breast, and belly. The white spurs on the wing are angled forwards. Juvenile and immature plumages are variable and are best separated from other frigatebirds by size when comparison is possible. Breeding restricted to Christmas Island and usually silent unless breeding. Stragglers appear far away from the breeding colony in parts of Indian and Eastern Pacific Oceans.
Behavior
Adults are easier to separate from similar frigatebirds than younger birds.
Gallery