Conservation > Discover > Flora and Fauna > Ascension Island Frigatebird
Type: Seabird | Status: Vulnerable | Nativeness: Endemic
Endemic to Ascension Island, this distinctive seabird has long wings (196-201cm) and a deeply forked tail. Juvenile birds have a white head and pale belly. Frigatebirds are highly adapted to an aerial lifestyle; they are lightweight for their size and fly efficiently using thermals to soar vast distances. Their plumage is not waterproof so they never land on the ocean, instead using their aerial agility to pluck food from the surface of the ocean or steal food (kleptoparasitise) from other seabirds. They have very short legs suited only for perching and struggle to walk even short distances.
The Ascension Frigatebird nests on Boatswainbird Island and on Letterbox peninsula. Males attract females to mate by inflating their large red throat pouch and vibrating their wings. Females lay a single white egg on the ground, with only a few feathers to mark the nest.
View Action Plan document in a new browser window
This Seabird can be found in the following locations:
Boatswain Bird Island Sanctuary is a barren, steep island rising to 104m, with a relatively flat top, located off the coast of Letterbox Peninsula. It is a haven for many seabird species to nest without the threat of invasive species. It is also home to endemic species of psuedoscorpion.
A remote nature reserve home to many seabird species and stunning geological scenery.
Long Beach is just under a kilometre long, adjacent to Georgetown and is the most important nesting beach for green turtles on Ascension Island.
[wp_rss_retriever url="https://rss.app/feeds/MNrgI5Ybn5Se8Pg6.xml" items="1" excerpt="0" read_more="true" title="true" source="false" credits="false" new_window="true" thumbnail="false" date="true" ajax="false" cache="3600"]