Magnificent Frigatebird

Locally known as “Tijereta” (tijera=scissors) for its forked tail, the Magnificent Frigatebird is one of the most intriguing birds of our coasts and, without a doubt, the queen of avian piracy! Its habit of stealing food from other birds, a behavior know as kleptoparasitism,  or collecting it from the surface of the water makes it one of the most graceful birds in the sea with amazing maneuvers.

Male Magnificent Frigatebird. Notice the red pouch made by the gular skin.
All white headed specimens are juveniles
Female Magnificent Frigatebirds are easier to identify by the combination of black head and white breast.

The chicks have one of the longest parental care of any seabird: more than 1 year after birth, they depend on their mother to provide them with food. Its more than 6 feet in wing span is left opposed to its unimaginable weight: Just more than 2 pounds and never more than 4 and halve pounds.

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