Eagle frigate bird

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Eagle frigate bird
Fregataaquila.jpg

Eagle frigate bird ( Fregata aquila )

Systematics
Class : Birds (aves)
Order : Suliformes
Family : Frigate birds (Fregatidae)
Genre : Frigate birds ( Fregata )
Type : Eagle frigate bird
Scientific name
Fregata aquila
( Linnaeus , 1758)

The eagle frigate bird ( Fregata aquila ) is a sea ​​bird from the frigate bird family . It is endemic to Ascension's neighboring small island Boatswain Bird Island in the South Atlantic .

description

The eagle frigate bird reaches a length of 89 to 96 centimeters. It has a wingspan of 200 centimeters and a long, forked tail. The plumage of the adult male is predominantly black. The head is black with a greenish tinge. Furthermore, it is characterized by long coat feathers and a greatly enlarged, light red throat pouch, which is inflated like a balloon during courtship . The female is dark brown with a reddish brown color on the collar and breast. The young look similar to the female, but have a white head.

distribution

The only breeding area is on Boatswain Bird Island , a rocky island about 1,000 feet northeast of Ascension .

Way of life

The eagle frigatebird feeds mainly on flying fish such as Cypselurus , Hirundichthys or Swallowfish ( Exocoetus volitans ), which it catches on the surface of the water. Newly hatched green turtles ( Chelonia mydas ) are also eaten. The mating season is not limited to any particular time of year, but it peaks in October. An egg is laid.

Danger

The eagle frigate bird also brooded on Ascension itself until the early 19th century. From 1815 onwards, cats and rats decimated the population so severely that Boatswain Bird Island became the last refuge for the species. Today longline fishing is the main threat . The total population is estimated to be around 12,000 individuals.

literature

  • Nelson Philip Ashmole , Myrtle Jane Ashmole, KEL Simmons: Seabird conservation and feral cats on Ascension Island, South Atlantic. Pp. 94–121 in Seabirds on Islands: Threats, Case Studies and Action Plans. Birdlife Conservation Series No. 1. 1994, ISBN 094688823X .
  • Josep del Hoyo : Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 1992, ISBN 8487334105 .

Web links