These master aerialists are also pirates of the sky, stealing food from other birds in midair. In North America, Magnificent Frigatebirds are seen most commonly in Florida. The magnificent frigatebird is a large seabird that lives in the tropics, along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the Americas. Fregata magnificens . Frigate birds belong to the family Fregatidae, which contains five species world-wide. In the Galapagos there are two species: the Great Frigate bird and the Magnificent Frigate bird. However, they also appear regularly along the Gulf Coast, and strays have turned up in many parts of the continent. It occurs over tropical and subtropical waters off America, between northern Mexico and Ecuador on the Pacific coast and between Florida and southern Brazil along the Atlantic coast. Some species are more widespread, while others live in small, localized regions. Plumage: Adults are black with very long, narrow, pointed wings, a deeply forked tail, and a long hooked bill. The Christmas frigatebird (Fregata andrewsi) and the Ascension Island frigatebird (F. aquila) are listed as Critically Endangered. Magnificent Frigatebird. What is the magnificent frigatebird's wingspan? This large seabird weighs anywhere from 2.4 to 3.5 pounds (1.1 to 1.59 kg). Of the two, the Great Frigate bird has the greater world-wide distribution, being found primarily throughout the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans. 4. They spend days and nights on the wing, with an average ground speed of 10 km/hour, covering 223±208 km before landing. Distribution of the Frigate Bird. Distribution Breed on isolated tropical islands and tend to remain fairly local to those places when feeding and during the nonbreeding season; the genus ranges worldwide in tropical and subtropical coastal waters Description: Size: 97-102 cm in length with a 220-235 cm wingspan. Most species only breed on a few specific islands, and they return to these breeding sites every year. The largest species is the magnificent frigatebird, which reaches 114 cm (45 in) in length, with three of the remaining four almost as large. It is one of the more common large seabirds throughout its range and is known for its interesting breeding and feeding behaviors. The lesser frigatebird is substantially smaller, at around 71 cm (28 in) long. Magnificent Frigatebird - Fregata magnificens St. Maarten (SX) 2011-10-19 Hans Verdaat Of all the frigatebirds, the magnificent species is the largest. How big is a magnificent frigatebird? 3. In length, it measures between 35 and 45 inches (89 and 114 cm). Frigatebirds The Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) was sometimes previously known as Man O'War, reflecting its rakish lines, speed, and aerial piracy of other birds.. 2. Other Names: Man O'War (obsolete) Distribution: tropical coasts and shallow seas of the Americas. Frigatebirds are large slender mostly black-plumaged seabirds, with the five species similar in appearance to each other. The magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae.With a length of 89–114 centimetres (35–45 in) it is the largest species of frigatebird. Each species of Frigate Bird has its own distribution. The magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) was sometimes previously known as man o’war or man of war, reflecting its rakish lines, speed, and aerial piracy of other birds.Distribution It is widespread in the tropical Atlantic, breeding colonially in trees … Males have a brilliant red throat pouch in the breeding season, which it inflates to a huge size during courtship. Beachgoers delight in this large, black pterodactyl-like bird that soars effortlessly on tropical breezes with hardly a flap, using its deeply forked tail to steer. Watching a Magnificent Frigatebird float in the air truly is, as the name implies, magnificent. How much does a magnificent frigatebird weigh?