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Great Frigate Chick
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
GREAT FRIGATE BIRD
Fregata minor
Great frigatebird females breed only every 2 years or less often. Males occasionally breed yearly, but typically breed only as often as every 2 years. The timing of breeding varies substantially with region and the breeding season is extended. Breeding is seasonal in a region, but breeding is recorded from December through September throughout their range. Eggs are typically laid in a 5 to 6 month period, but eggs have been observed throughout the year. Seasonality of breeding in a region is probably linked to regional food availability. In nest clusters within a colony, egg-laying and hatching may be fairly synchronous. Once a pair bond has formed, a nest has been prepared, and an egg is laid, mates do not interact much, even when they exchange caretaking responsibilities. Time from courtship to nest building may be as little as a few days or as long as 4 weeks. Nests are generally platforms built of twigs, sticks, and other collected materials on the same trees or bushes that were used by males for courtship displays, resulting in clustered nesting colonies of 3 to 50 nests and 0.6 to 1.4 m between nests. Nests are generally sheltered from the wind but in full sun. Occasional nests are built on the ground. Generally a single, white egg is laid, but rare nests with 2 eggs or nestlings have been observed. It is possible that the eggs were laid by more than one female. Females may lay a second egg in a season if the first fails or is destroyed. Eggs are incubated immediately after laying and are never left unattended. Young begin to fly at 150 days old. They remain on the nest for 150 to 428 days after fledging, where they continue to be fed and protected by their parents. Fledglings remain near the nest for 10 to 16 months after hatching, at which point they disperse to the ocean. Great frigatebirds have an extended period of adolescence and attain sexual maturity between 5 and 7 years old. Occasionally individuals with immature plumage have been observed breeding.
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Hotelcalifornia, danbachmann has marked this note useful
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