# Magnificent Frigatebird

Scientific name: Fregata magnificens

Bird group: [frigatebird](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/frigatebird)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/144/Magnificent-Frigatebird

## Identification

The magnificent frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) or man o' war is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae. With a length of 89–114 centimetres (35–45 in) and wingspan of 2.17–2.44 m (7.1–8.0 ft) it is the largest species of frigatebird. It occurs over tropical and subtropical waters off America, between northern Mexico and Perú on the Pacific coast and between Florida and southern Brazil along the Atlantic coast. There are also populations on the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific and the Cape Verde islands in the Atlantic.


## Distribution and habitat

The Magnificent Frigatebird occurs through the tropical and 
subtropical coastal waters of the 
Western Hemisphere including 
the West Indies, where it is 
generally a common resident 
throughout the islands (Raffaele and others 1998). In addition, 
it occurs on the Cape Verde 
Islands off the coast of West 
Africa (Biaggi 1997, Oberle 2018, 
Raffaele and others 1998). It is 
described as common along 
most coastal areas of Puerto Rico 
(Oberle 2018), and it inhabits/
nests on Monito (Oberle 2018) as 
well as other adjacent offshore 
cays around Puerto Rico (Biaggi 
1997), although it formerly 
nested in Desecheo. On Vieques, 
it is described as a fairly common 
non-breeding resident (Gemmill 
2015). It usually occurs over 
bays, coastal lakes and lagoons, 
inshore waters, mangrove islands, and offshore cays but 
can also wander well inland 
soaring on thermal currents or 
after storms or hurricanes (Biaggi 
1997, Oberle 2018, Raffaele and 
others 1998). The atlas fieldwork 
yielded a total of 138 records 
within 138 hexagons or 29 
percent of the 479 total hexagons 
(see map). Of the 138 hexagons 
where this species was found, 
breeding met the atlas definition 
of confirmed in 1 percent (2) of 
the hexagons and possible in 3 
percent (4), while the species 
was observed in 96 percent (132) 
of the hexagons but without 
evidence of breeding (see map).Magnificent Frigatebird distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones 
in Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.       135Magnificent Frigatebird/Fragata Magnífica

## Breeding

Previously published reports indicate that the Magnificent 
Frigatebirds breeding season is 
highly variable but appears to 
peak in November and February 
(Raffaele and others 1998). It 
nests colonially, sometimes 
among other seabirds, and the 
nest usually consists of a crude 
structure made of sticks and 
twigs, normally built in a tree 
or bush but sometimes directly 
on the ground (Biaggi 1997, 
Oberle 2018, Raffaele and others 
1998). Atlas results suggest 
that this species breeds mostly from February to April and to a 
lesser extent also during August, 
October, and December (see 
chart). Overall, the breeding 
activity appears to peak in April, 
and it equally takes place within 
the subtropical dry and moist 
forest life zones (see chart). 
Results show that this species 
breeds mostly in coastal areas 
within the subtropical dry forest 
life zone (67 percent of the 
hexagons) (see table and map).

## Conservation

The current population trend of the Magnificent Frigatebird is described as increasing 
in southern North America 
(Butcher and Niven 2007), and 
it is currently listed as a species 
of Least concern by the IUCN 
(BirdLife International 2018). 
Locally, this species is not 
listed in any of the threatened 
categories of PRDNER and 
USFWS. In Puerto Rico, the 
Magnificent Frigatebird has a 
protected habitat in land of 6 
percent or 9 km2 of the total area covered by the hexagons where 
evidence of breeding was found 
for this species (144 km2).

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_144_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_144_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.