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| Great Frigatebird Fregata minor
- 2nd calendar year |
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| Photographer : | © David J James |
| Location : | Christmas Island, Indian Ocean |
| Date : |
February 2002 |
| English synonyms: | Great Frigate Bird, Great Frigata, Great Frigate, Aldabra Frigate-bird (aldabrensis), Greater Frigatebird, Greater Frigate Bird, Lesser Frigatebird, Pacific Frigatebird, North Pacific Man-o'-War-Bird, Pacific Man-o'-War |
| Bird Family : | Fregatidae - Frigatebirds |
| Bird Group : | CICONIIFORMES |
| Red Data Status : | Least Concern |
| Remarks : | The combination of buff head and no dark breast-band is diagnostic of second-year plumages. In the absence of axillary spurs and breast-tabs, second-year Christmas Island and Great are extremely difficult to separate on present knowledge. The presence of black mottling on the belly (outlining an incipient black belly-point), and the consequent rounded rear edge to the white flanks almost certainly identify this bird as a Great. |
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