How Do Frigate Birds Get Their Food?

Magnificent frigatebirds are diurnal seabirds that spend most of their time soaring over the ocean, searching for food. They are graceful and agile in flight but very clumsy. They primarily feed on flying fish, tuna, herring, and squid, which they grab from the surface of the water without getting wet. They also eat plankton, crabs, jellyfish, and other items on the surface of the water, including discarded fish from fishing boats.

Frigatebirds are known as kleptoparasites, and they steal food from other seabirds by either harassing them until they drop their catch or shaking their tail feathers until they release their food. They can also scavenge for scraps, such as garbage, young turtles at hatching, and other birds. They feed on flying fish, tuna, squid, jellyfish, and crustaceans.

The Spanish called them pirate birds and Man-o-Wars due to their habit of stealing food from other birds. The male is all black with a purplish sheen. They occasionally take fish scraps from commercial fishing operations or steal small fish from nets or baited hooks. In the past on some Pacific islands, young frigatebirds would chase each other and feed on flying fish, squid, jellyfish, and crustaceans.

In summary, Magnificent frigatebirds are master aerialists who are skilled at stealing food from other birds and are known for their graceful and agile flight. They are also known for their kleptoparasitism, where they harass other birds until they drop their catch.