--Frigate birds are the only seabirds where the male and female look noticeably different.
--Frigate birds are also known as Man-o'-war birds due to their aggressive behaviors toward others birds. Frigates poke and bite at other birds, which sometimes causes them to drop or disgorge any food they have recently caught or eaten. The frigate bird then consumes the meal.
--Albatrosses drink salt water and excrete the excess salt through glands above their eyes.
--Some albatross species have been known to have life spans of 50 years of age in the wild!
--Albatrosses are rarely seen on land and gather only to breed.
--Male blue-footed boobies are proud of their blue feet. During mating rituals they show off their feet to females with a high-stepping strut and dance. The bluer the feet, the better.
--These birds take their name from the Spanish word "bobo" which means "stupid." It is thought that early European colonists viewed these birds as clumsy and awkward when they saw them on land.
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| Kingdom: |
Frigate Birds: Animalia
Albatross: Animalia
Blue-Footed Booby: Animalia |
| Phylum: |
Frigate Birds: Chordata
Albatross: Chordata
Blue-Footed Booby: Chordata |
| Class: |
Frigate Birds: Aves
Albatross: Aves
Blue-Footed Booby: Aves |
| Order: |
Frigate Birds: Pelecaniformes
Albatross: Procellariiformes
Blue-Footed Booby: Pelecaniformes |
| Family: |
Frigate Birds: Fregatidae
Albatross: Diomedeidae
Blue-Footed Booby: Sulidae |
| Genus: |
Frigate Birds: Fregata
Albatross: various
Blue-Footed Booby: Sula |
| Species: |
Frigate Birds: various
Albatross: various
Blue-Footed Booby: nebouxii |
FAST FACTS |
| Weight: |
Frigate Birds: Average 3 pounds
Albatross: Up to 22 pounds
Blue-Footed Booby: 3 pounds |
| Wingspan: |
Frigate Birds: Up to 7 feet
Albatross: Up to 11 feet
Blue-Footed Booby: Up to 5 feet |
| Incubation: |
Frigate Birds: Up to 61 days
Albatross: 70-80 days, longer for larger albatrosses
Blue-Footed Booby: 40-45 days |
# of young: |
Frigate Birds: As few as 1
Albatross: 1
Blue-Footed Booby: 1 to 3 |
| Range: |
Frigate Birds: Found in tropical waters around most of the world
Albatross: Southern oceans and the North Pacific
Blue-Footed Booby: Western coasts of Central and South America |
| Diet: |
Frigate Birds: Fish, squid, jellyfish, and occasionally young seabirds
Albatross: Carnivore, feeding mainly on squid and fish
Blue-Footed Booby: Carnivore, mainly eating fish |
Energy & Conservation
Frigate Birds: The Christmas Island frigate bird (Fregata andrewsi) is listed as critically endangered because approximately 25% of their breeding area was cleared for phosphate mining before 1946. Many breeding colonies were deserted due to dust fall-out from the mine. Other threats to these birds include over-fishing, marine pollution and housing and resort development.
Albatross: Every year, thousands of albatross are killed by drift nets, marine pollution and introduced predators. Some albatross species were hunted for feathers that were used in the manufacture of women's hats.
Blue-Footed Booby: Overall, it is believed that blue-footed booby populations are steady, with global populations estimated to be 100,000 to 500,000 individuals. |
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