How Long Can Frigate Birds Fly?

Frigate birds, known for their ability to fly continuously for weeks without landing, have been found to stay aloft for up to two months without landing. A new study has found that these seabirds use large-scale movements in the air to save energy on their journey. The researchers found that while frigatebirds do sleep while flying, they sleep very little—about 45 minutes each day in short ten.

The Great Frigatebird, a seagoing flier with a 6-foot wingspan, can stay aloft for weeks at a time, much of which is due to their low flight costs. They cannot swim or rest in the water, but they use warm updrafts that help form cumulus clouds over the ocean to stay aloft for as long as a month at a time.

Frigatebirds spend most of the day in flight hunting for food and roosting on trees or cliffs at night. They can soar for weeks on wind currents and fly more than 400 kilometers (roughly 250 miles) each day, which is about the equivalent of a daily trip from Boston to Philadelphia. Both magnificent frigate birds and great frigate birds are capable of flying nonstop for 10 days at a time.

In conclusion, the Great Frigatebird is an impressive bird that can fly for up to two months without landing, thanks to its low flight costs and ability to soar for weeks on wind currents.